BENGALURU: A 20-year-old woman was charred to death, and another person was injured when a fire broke out at an EV electric bike showroom near the Navarang Bar Junction on Dr. Rajkumar Road in Bengaluru.
The victim has been identified as Priya, an accountant at the EV showroom, and a resident of Ramachandrapura. She was to celebrate her 21st birthday on November 20.
The police said the incident occurred at around 5.30 pm at MY EV store near Navrang Junction, within the Rajrajeshwari Nagar police station limits. According to senior fire and emergency services officers, it is suspected that the fire broke out while charging an EV scooter, possibly due to a battery explosion.
The fire spread through the showroom, while other employees managed to escape. Priya, however, was trapped in a cabin, succumbing to death due to difficulty breathing as the cabin filled with dense smoke and suffered severe burns.
The police official added that around 45 electric scooters were destroyed in the fire. The police said a case has been registered and five fire tenders, including an SDRF van, were pressed to control the situation. Nearby buildings and shops were immediately evacuated as a precautionary measure. Traffic police diverted vehicles in the vicinity to ensure public safety.