BENGALURU: Twelve people were charred to death when a major fire broke out at a cracker shop-cum-godown at Attibele on the outskirts of Bengaluru on Saturday.
The victims were working in the godown on the service road along Hosur Main Road. The condition of one more worker is said to be critical.
The bodies of the victims were charred beyond recognition. However, some of them have been identified as Vediyappan, Vijay Raghavan, Sachin, Akash, Prakash, Adikeshavan and Elambarandhi. All said to be from Tamil Nadu.
Around 20 workers were at the shop-cum-godown when the fire broke out at 3.30 pm. Four others, including the shop owner, suffered burns.
Traffic on the highway was disrupted for more than five hours. Sources said the blaze at the cracker shop-cum-godown led to piling up of vehicles for more than six km on the highway. Around nine fire tenders were pressed into service. Some fire tenders from neighbouring Tamil Nadu were also rushed to the spot. Fire force personnel managed to put out the fire around 8.30 pm.
According to sources, the fire broke out at Balaji Crackers owned by Naveen Kumar of Attibele. The plot is owned by Ramaswamy Reddy, who rented it out for the shop-cum-godown. More than six vehicles, including a truck, loaded with crackers were destroyed in the blaze.
Cracker shop owner didn’t have permission for godown: Pant
Some adjoining shops were also damaged. The fire broke out when crackers were being unloaded from a truck that arrived from Tamil Nadu. The crackers were being stored at the godown for the Deepawali festival next month. Crackers worth around Rs 5 crore were burnt, they added.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who visited the godown, said that a detailed inquiry will be conducted. “Officers told me that permission was given only for the cracker shop. A compensation of Rs 5 lakh will be given to the family of those killed in the blaze from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund,” he added.
Kamal Pant, Director-General of Police, Fire and Emergency Services, said that the shop owner had no permission for the godown.
A Narayanswamy, local MP and Union Minister, who visited the spot, said permission was granted only to sell crackers. Action should be taken against the local police and revenue officials for allowing the shop and the godown at the same place.
Central Range IGP BR Ravikanthe Gowda confirmed that 12 people died in the blaze. Police and fire force personnel could not enter the godown till midnight because of the fire. A team from the forensic science laboratory also visited the godown.
Bengaluru Rural Superintendent of Police Mallikarjun Baladandi said the injured shop owner and workers were admitted to hospitals on Hosur Road.
Dr KT Ramesh, head, Department of Plastic Surgery and Burns, Victoria Hospital, told TNSE that a man, who suffered burns at Attibele, was admitted to the hospital on Saturday evening. He suffered over 30% burns and is undergoing treatment. The Attibele police have registered a case. Further investigations are on.