Hyderabad: Telangana witnessed a sharp rise in fire accidents during the first five months of 2026, with fire services responding to 7,570 incidents between January and May, compared to 5,656 cases during the corresponding period last year.
The increase of 1,914 incidents represents a 33.8 per cent jump year-on-year, a report by TOI said.
Careless smoking leading cause of fire
The report further stated that according to official data, careless smoking and the improper disposal of cigarette butts continued to be the leading cause of fires across the state. Such incidents rose to 3,991 this year from 2,886 in the same period of 2025, marking an increase of more than 38 per cent.
Electrical short circuits remained the second most common cause, accounting for 1,557 fires, up from 1,237 last year.
Fire department officials attributed the increase to a combination of prolonged heatwave conditions, dry vegetation and waste material, along with unsafe disposal of smoking materials in public and commercial spaces. Higher temperatures also placed additional strain on electrical systems, resulting in more fire outbreaks linked to electrical faults.
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Highest number of fire incidents in Hyderabad
Among districts, Hyderabad reported the highest number of fire incidents at 765, followed by Khammam with 620 and Rangareddy with 445. Other districts recording significant numbers included Nizamabad (372), Medchal-Malkajgiri (351), Sangareddy (335) and Karimnagar (328).
Officials noted that districts such as Khammam, Hanumakonda, Nizamabad and Suryapet witnessed notable increases compared to last year, the report stated.
Farm land fires
Analysis of incident categories showed that farmland fires accounted for 2,093 cases, while refuse and outdoor storage fires numbered 2,014. Together, these two categories made up more than half of all fire incidents reported during the period, underlining the heightened vulnerability of open areas during the summer months.
The financial impact of the fires also increased. Property losses were estimated at Rs 354.82 crore during the first five months of 2026, compared to Rs 298.34 crore in the same period last year, reflecting a rise of nearly 19 percent, the report added.
Improved rescue outcomes
Despite the increase in incidents, the report stated that Telangana recorded improved rescue outcomes. The number of lives saved rose significantly from 49 in 2025 to 156 this year, while fatalities declined from 51 to 21. Rescue operations increased from 295 to 321, and emergency response calls rose from 37 to 49.
Firefighters also succeeded in protecting property worth Rs 904.72 crore during the period. However, this was lower than the Rs 1,835.28 crore worth of property saved during the corresponding period last year.
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