3 fires in 4 hours in Bangalore

The city witnessed three fire accidents, a day after a blaze triggered by a cylinder blast led to a building collapse in Sumanahalli resulting in two deaths. However, on Thursday, there were no casualties.

A fire broke out around 1 pm at Reliance Footprint, a footwear shop, located on the first floor of Ram Plaza building along 80 Feet Road, 5th Block, Koramangala.

More than 30 customers were in the shop when the incident happened.

A short-circuit probably triggered the blaze, police and fire personnel said. AR Infant, director general of police (fire and emergency service), said 17 fire tenders battled the blaze which was finally put out around 6pm.

A fire fighter said they got the alert around 1.06 pm and they immediately reached the spot in four vehicles. Smoke was billowing out of the building and the fire service dispatched more vehicles to the site. Fire fighters broke the windowpanes to clear the smoke before they entered the building to douse the fire.

BG Chengappa, director of Karnataka fire and emergency services, said shoes, slippers and school bags, plywood and some rubber products were destroyed in the fire.

Madiwala police kept the curious onlookers at bay to provide space for easy movement of fire engines and fighters. Police said the shop belonged to Reliance company but refused to comment on the losses. "We will come to know about it only after a complaint is lodged with us about the incident," police said.

Venkatesh, an employee of the footwear shop, said more than 30 customers were in the shop when the incident happened. The same time, on the ground floor, about 25 company workers were gathered for the meeting called by officials. Suddenly, they smelt burning rubber and rushed to the first floor and found that fire was spreading. They helped the customers and all ran away from the building and called the fire personnel.

Employees and visitors of a massage parlour located on the second and third floors of the building also ran to safety. The second fire incident happened in a steel factory Well Cast Steel Ltd located in Peenya. The fire, which broke out around 5 pm, was caused due to an electrical short circuit in one of the motors. Well Cast Steel said they incurred a loss of Rs1 lakh. Three fire tenders from Peenya fire department were pressed into service to douse the fire.

The third incident took place around 3.30 pm at Sattar Bedding House located on the second floor of a JP Nagar building. Three fire tenders were employed to fight the blaze. A short-circuit in an electrical duct of the shop sparked the fire. Cash of Rs20,000 was destroyed in the fire but the value of goods destroyed was yet to be estimated.