Bengaluru Building Fire: 5 Dead as Owners Held Over Safety Lapses

A massive fire broke out in a building at Nagarathpete in Bengaluru on Saturday, leading to the death of five people, officials confirmed. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, along with Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh, visited the site on Sunday to review the situation.

Cause of Fire and Arrests

Police Commissioner Singh told reporters that the Fire Department’s initial findings suggest the blaze started due to a short circuit. He added that the owners of the two buildings have been arrested. According to him, the owners had ignored safety rules and even added extra floors without taking proper permission.

Govt Response and Action

Deputy CM Shivakumar said strict measures will be taken against people who break building laws. “The mistake is by the building owners. I will issue notices to everyone. These buildings are illegal. If they are not made safe, we will have to demolish them. I have already ordered strict action,” he stated. He also mentioned that the five victims were from Rajasthan and the government will give Rs 5 lakh as compensation to each family. Calling the incident very tragic, he expressed grief over the loss of lives. Meanwhile, visuals from the area showed fire officials carrying out rescue and relief work.