Two die, 5 injured in Bengaluru apartment fire

Bengaluru: In a major fire in an apartment here on Tuesday, two women were burnt alive and five other residents suffered severe burns. Three apartments were totally gutted.

Fire-fighters continued search operations in the apartment till late in the night and the exact number of casualties and damage to property can be ascertained only on Wednesday.

The incident took place in the Ashrith Aspire Apartment at Devarachikkanahalli near Bommanahalli.

The deceased were identified as Bhagyarekha (59) and her mother Lakshmidevi (82). The bodies have been shifted to the mortuary. An LPG cylinder blast is suspected to have caused the fire.

Amar Kumar Pande, ADGP Fire Force, said that the rescue operation was hampered as there was thick smoke engulfing the apartment. The fire brigade and emergency services personnel managed to contain the fire from spreading. The preliminary investigations suggest that the fire broke out after the LPG cylinder blew up but it is yet to be confirmed.

The incident was reported around 4.30 pm. The fire tenders immediately rushed to the spot and additional fire tenders were also sent from other fire stations. He added that an aerial platform ladder, which is used in difficult situations, was pressed into service. The evening traffic congestion slowed them down a bit in reaching the site, he stated.

Eyewitnesses said they saw the fire engulfing the apartment and they saw an old woman in the balcony burnt to death before the fire tenders reached the spot.

Satish Reddy, BJP MLA, stated that he had informed Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai about the incident. The police said that the incident took place because of a cylinder blast. There are 72 flats in the apartment and all the residents have been evacuated.