BENGALURU: Nearly 35 two-wheelers and three cars were damaged, while garments worth several crores of rupees were gutted when a fire broke out at a timber yard on Manipal County Road in Electronics City, in the wee hours of Wednesday.
No casualties were reported in the incident. The District Fire Officer (DFO) of Electronics City said the blaze started around 12.40am in the timber yard, and quickly spread to an adjacent car and bike garage, and then to the garment factory, which is located almost 100 metres from the timber yard. The public alerted the fire and emergency services department, which pressed into service seven fire tenders immediately.
While the firemen were dousing the blaze at the timber yard, the fire spread to the nearby garment factory. It was brought under control after an operation of over 10 hours. Wood and other construction material in the timber yard was reduced to ashes, while about 35 two-wheelers in the bike garage were gutted.
Three cars, including a Mercedes-Benz, which were left for servicing at the adjacent car garage, were also damaged, the DFO said. As the fire raged, the flames engulfed the garment factory operating from a four-storeyed building, about 100 metres away from the timber yard.
“The factory caught fire three hours after the fire broke out at the timber yard, raising several questions. The garments stored on the fourth floor were completely gutted, while there was not much damage to material kept in the other floors,” the DFO said. It is estimated that the loss runs into a few crores of rupees at the garment factory alone. Officials are checking if there is any foul play behind the fire.