Karnataka: Massive fire in Bengaluru bus depot, 18 buses gutted
What's the story
A massive fire broke out at a private bus depot in Veerabhadra Nagar in Bengaluru, Karnataka, on Monday, causing significant damage in the area. A senior Fire Department official told India Today that at least 18 buses that were parked at a garage there were damaged in the blaze. However, there have been no reports of causalities so far.
Twitter Post
Visuals of the fire accident shared on X
#WATCH | Private buses parked in a bus depot in Bengaluru's Veerabhadranagar catch fire
Detailed awaited. pic.twitter.com/gC0WAmksCZ — ANI (@ANI) October 30, 2023
Details
10 fire tenders pressed to douse fire: Fire Department official
Deputy Director of Fire Service C Gurulingaiah said efforts were underway to control the fire with 10 fire tenders pressed into service. However, he stressed it was too early to pinpoint the exact cause. "There were a lot of combustible materials... Cannot point out a reason immediately," he said. Gurulingaiah said the positive thing was that no causalities or injuries were reported so far.
Claims
Exact cause of fire not known, investigation ordered
Meanwhile, an investigation has been ordered to determine the cause of the fire. The combustible material in the garage is suspected to have caught fire due to a short circuit, which spread to the depot. On the other hand, Gurulingaiah claimed the fire spread uncontrollably due to the lack of fire safety measures and extinguishers at the depot and limited awareness among workers.
Statement
Can't call this negligence: Official
Gurulingaiah clarified the fire accident cannot be termed "negligence," as the workers present there were involved in welding and wiring works, per India Today. "We cannot call this negligence... There are a lot of materials made out of petroleum products. All these catch fire easily," he added. "They should have kept fire extinguishers at the depot. There is a lack of awareness," Gurulingaiah said.