Hyderabad: Telangana is witnessing a sharp rise in fire emergencies, with the state fire services department receiving an average of 46 distress calls every day, or nearly one call every 30 minutes. Official data shows that the department has responded to 8,914 fire and rescue calls so far this year, compared with 6,273 calls during the same period last year, reflecting a 42.1% increase.The increase has also led to higher financial losses. Property worth ₹406.54 crore was destroyed in fires this year, up by more than 11% from ₹365.17 crore during the same period in 2025. At the same time, firefighters managed to save property worth ₹1,117.95 crore while responding to emergencies.According to departmental data, small fires accounted for 8,187 incidents, while there were 170 medium, 62 serious and 25 major fires. Fire personnel also attended 399 rescue operations and 71 other emergencies.The data shows that farmlands (2,440 incidents) and refuse and outdoor storage areas (2,372) accounted for more than half of all fires reported this year. Residential houses (609), miscellaneous structures (440), forests and plantations (420), rail and road vehicles (353), shops and offices (229), storage facilities (222) and industrial units (166) were among the other major categories.The leading causes of fires continued to be carelessness, which accounted for 4,622 incidents, followed by electrical short circuits (1,843) and unknown causes (1,127). Fires caused by arson (139), gas leaks (123) and burning waste (84) were reported in smaller numbers.Hyderabad recorded the highest number of fire calls at 875, followed by Khammam (691), Rangareddy (524), Nizamabad (415), Karimnagar (413) and Medchal (404).A senior fire services official said the surge was driven by a combination of seasonal conditions and human negligence.“The increase cannot be attributed to one factor alone. Telangana experienced prolonged heatwave conditions this summer, which dried out vegetation, agricultural residue and waste materials, making them highly combustible. At the same time, we have seen more cases of people carelessly discarding cigarette butts in open spaces, along roadsides and around commercial establishments. Higher temperatures also put additional stress on electrical systems, increasing the risk of short circuits that can trigger fires,” the official said.Meanwhile, despite the rise in incidents, fatalities have reduced significantly. Twenty-nine people lost their lives in fire accidents this year, compared with 116 deaths during the same period last year, while the number of people rescued increased from 81 to 166.GFXFire calls (Jan 1-July 12): 8,914 vs 6,273 (42.1% increase)Average calls: 46 per day | One call every 30 minutesLives lost: 29 vs 116Lives saved: 166 vs 81Property lost: Rs 406.54 crore vs Rs 365.17 croreProperty saved: Rs 1,117.95 croreTop fire categories: Farm lands (2,440), Refuse & outdoor storage (2,372), Houses (609), Forests/plantations (420)Top causes: Carelessness (4,622), Electrical origin (1,843), Unknown (1,127)Highest fire calls by district: Hyderabad (875), Khammam (691), Rangareddy (524), Nizamabad (415), Karimnagar (413), Medchal (404)
