Fire devastates shops in B’lore

Fire devastates shops in B’lore

Though more fire-tenders were sent for, a massive traffic jam on K G Road delayed them from reaching the spot.

Deccan Herald

A major fire destroyed consumer goods worth crores of rupees at a commercial complex on the busy Kempe Gowda Road in Majestic area on Tuesday evening. More than 350 persons escaped from the raging inferno.

The fire, which started around 4:15 pm in Tallam Shopping Arcade (formerly Geetha Complex which was owned by film exhibitor Tallam Nanjunda Setty) near the Kempe Gowda Circle, was under control only at around 11:30 pm. By then, nearly 100 of the 150 shops were reduced to ashes and a two-storeyed lodge Hotel Surya was damaged.

According to eyewitnesses, the fire was first noticed in the basement of the complex on its left side (by the side of the road leading to the Kempe Gowda bus station).

Though the traders tried to put it off, the fire soon engulfed a footwear shop located at the corner of the complex. Within minutes, the shop was gutted. And soon the fire spread across the complex.

“We heard people screaming ‘fire...fire’. Before we realised what had happened, our shop (which is located next to the footwear store) caught fire. We had to run out leaving everything behind.

One of my fellow businessmen did not have time even to search for his slippers,” R F Gala, owner of Charms Collections (Shop No 3) told Deccan Herald. Mr Gala said garments worth over Rs 2 lakh were destroyed in his shop.

Traders from the neighbouring commercial complexes rushed to the aide of their fellow businessmen, but the water they were emptying out of the two-litre water bottles was of no use in controlling the fire.

Though a fire tender reached the commercial complex within minutes, it was virtually no match for the inferno. The fire soon spread to the building’s frontal, even as the shop owners hurried out of the building with whatever goods they could lay their hands on.

The shops that were completely destroyed also included those that sold leather goods, electronic gadgets, fancy products, hosiery, bags and readymade garments.

Though the fire service personnel sent word for more fire tenders, the massive traffic jam on K G Road left the fire tenders stranded. By the time more fire tenders could reach the building, nearly an hour-and-a-half had passed by.
Speaking to reporters, Inspector General of Police (Fire Services) M N Reddi said: “The material that was stored in the shops was mostly acrylic, which is highly inflammable. That is why the fire spread very quickly in the complex. The ground floor and the first floor of the complex were completely burnt down.” The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, Mr Reddi said and added, “prima facie, it appears to be accidental.”

However, City Police Commissioner S Mariswamy told Deccan Herald: “The fire appears to have been caused because of a short circuit in the electric cables that were laid in the building. Some cabling work was being undertaken in the complex.” A total of 25 fire tenders were pressed into service. During the seven-hour fire fighting action, two fire service personnel collapsed following asphyxiation and four personnel suffered injuries.

DCP (West) Sharath Chandra told reporters that a case of negligence would be registered against the building owner. The police would also write to the BMP to check for any violations in the building plan, he said.