The Fire Services Department has placed a significant emphasis on fire safety awareness, conducting 8,433 awareness programmes across the state this year
The Telangana Fire Services and Disaster Response Force attended 7,383 fire and rescue calls across the state in 2024, according to Director General of Fire Services, Y Nagi Reddy. The majority of these incidents—7,093 in total—were categorised as small fire mishaps, while 180 were medium-level fires, 87 were serious fires, and 24 were major incidents.
“There is an increase of 5.9 per cent in medium fire calls in 2024 compared to the previous year, while the overall fire calls are nearly the same as last year,” said Nagi Reddy. He also pointed out that 99 per cent of the fires occurred in non-high-rise buildings.
The Fire Services Department has placed a significant emphasis on fire safety awareness, conducting 8,433 awareness programmes across the state this year. “The department is regularly organising fire safety awareness programmes,” Reddy stated, adding that these initiatives aim to reduce the occurrence of fire incidents and educate the public on preventive measures.
Apart from firefighting, the department played a crucial role in rescue operations during floods in different parts of Telangana. “We reached out to people stranded in flood water during the night also and brought them out to safer places. The department is training its personnel in firefighting as well as rescue operations,” he explained.
The department is also addressing accountability by taking up civil prosecutions against building owners where major fire mishaps have occurred. “The police are conducting criminal investigations and filing charge sheets, while the fire department is following the civil prosecution,” Reddy noted.
Speaking on specific incidents, the Director General clarified the cause of the fire at the Satava building in Madhapur earlier this year. “The fire on the fifth floor of the Satava building at Madhapur was because of gas leakage in the restaurant. Due to a power fluctuation, there was a short circuit, and it sparked off the fire,” he said. The fire was quickly contained by the building’s safety officers and the fire department personnel.
In a related effort to enhance fire safety, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has started issuing notices to residential buildings engaging in commercial activities. These measures aim to ensure that properties comply with safety norms to prevent potential hazards.
The Telangana Fire Services and Disaster Response Force continues to focus on strengthening its capabilities in both firefighting and rescue operations, while also prioritising public awareness and accountability in fire safety management.
