Blaze off Commercial Street

Blaze off Commercial Street

Express News Service
30 Aug 2008 06:12:00 AM IST

BANGALORE: There was mayhem on Commercial Street on Friday evening when one of the complexes on Kamaraj Road caught fire. At around 6.30 pm, people noticed smoke coming out of the fourth floor of Commercial Plaza, which is a store room for crockery and antique goods.

Atheek Ahmed, one of the shop owners at Commercial Plaza, took the initiative and sent around 45 men to put off the fire. But, as the fire spread they informed the Fire Brigade, who took almost 20 minutes to reach the spot because of heavy traffic.

Four fire tenders were pressed into service. A senior fire personnel who was at the spot said: “The reason for the fire is not known. There is a possibility that a short circuit could have ignited it.” The shopkeepers blame the ongoing welding work on the fourth floor. Atheek also said: “Because of the recent incessant rains, the welders had placed a sheet over the building to avoid water leak. The spark from the welding work could have set off the fire.” Although Commercial Plaza caught fire, other shops on Commercial Street remained open. This contributed to the heavy traffic.

The complex houses around 60 to 70 stores on the first floor, two big showrooms on the second floor and the entire third floor is taken over by Showoff, which was inaugurated last Sunday.

Some of the shop keepers blamed the lighting in this store as the cause of the fire.

However, the fire was under control by 7.20 pm and no casualties were reported. As the traffic towards the plaza on Kamaraj Road was blocked, a severe traffic jam was reported in the surrounding areas.