A major fire broke out in a building near Gulzar Houz, but thanks to the bravery of two local men, an even bigger tragedy was avoided.
Mir Zahed and Mohd Azmath had just finished their morning prayers and were having tea near Charminar when they noticed smoke coming from a nearby building. People were panicking in the narrow lane, and the situation looked serious.
Read More: 17 Lives Lost, Including 8 Innocent Children, in Devastating Fire Near Hyderabad’s Charminar
“We heard women shouting, ‘Bhaiya, bachao!’ (Brother, save us),” said Zahed. Without waiting for help, and even before the fire brigade arrived, the two rushed inside the burning building to help.
They had to break through two barriers to reach the trapped people. Inside, they saw a woman holding onto four or five children, trying to protect them from the flames. “It felt like a nightmare,” Zahed said.
The two heroes didn’t stop there. They went up to the second floor and found six more people—some hurt, others barely conscious. Zahed and Azmath entered the building around 6:10 a.m. and kept rescuing people until about 8:40 a.m.
In total, they saved 13 lives before fire trucks and ambulances arrived. “The flames were terrifying. I’ve never seen anything like it,” Zahed said. The rescued people were quickly taken to Osmania General Hospital.
Their courage and quick action were praised by locals and family members of the rescued. Thanks to their fearless efforts, many lives were saved that morning.
