Hyderabad fire series: Blazes at shops, godowns on Deepavali

A series of fire incidents across Hyderabad and Secunderabad on Sunday, 8 November kept emergency services on high alert. A rocket entered a firecracker shop at Sithaphalmandi, triggering explosions as crackers burst. Fires also broke out at Balaji Medical Shop in Bandimet, Secunderabad, and at a medical warehouse in Old Bowenpally. Additional blazes were reported at a scrap godown in Jeedimetla, a building in Begum Bazar, a plastic godown in Mailardevpally, and a house in Jambagh.

Telangana Today reports firecrackers and suspected electrical short circuits as possible causes. The Hindu reports a separate firecracker shop fire in Chilkalguda on Sunday morning, where a suspected short circuit after a prayer lamp was lit may have triggered the blaze, according to a fire control room officer. The Hindu also notes a fire at a plastic manufacturing unit in Katedan Industrial Area that spread to a neighbouring plywood unit. No injuries or casualties were reported. The cause of each incident and the overall extent of losses are yet to be ascertained.

Update, 9 November 2026: The Hindu adds a new firecracker shop fire in Chilkalguda on Sunday (8 November) morning, quoting a fire control room officer who said a suspected short circuit after a prayer lamp was lit may have caused it. The Hindu also reports a fire at a plastic manufacturing unit in Katedan Industrial Area that spread to a neighbouring plywood unit. No injuries were reported in either incident.