A fiery disaster unfolded in the heart of Bengaluru as flames engulfed the Quality Control Division of the city's civic agency, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), leaving nine individuals with severe burn injuries. The harrowing incident transpired between 5 pm and 5:30 pm, as Chief Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath described the catastrophic scene that unfolded before his eyes.
"I was in the office, there was a sudden power failure. Then I learned that a fire broke out in a building behind our office. When I went there, I saw an inferno consuming the structure. The incident resulted in significant damage and inflicted injuries upon those present. Swift action was taken to transport the injured to the hospital," Giri Nath recounted to reporters, according to PTI.
The injured were promptly rushed to Saint Martha's Hospital for initial treatment before being transferred to the burns ward of the Victoria Government Hospital, highlighting the gravity of their conditions.
Among the wounded are nine engineers, including the chief engineer, though details of their health statuses remain undisclosed. As the investigation into the incident unfolds, Giri Nath asserted that an inquiry will unveil the cause behind the blaze. When questioned about the extent of material damage, Giri Nath expressed that the focus presently lies on the human toll and the immediate aftermath.
This calamity follows closely on the heels of the Karnataka government's decision to launch a judicial inquiry into alleged irregularities within the BBMP during the previous BJP-led administration. Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, overseeing the Bengaluru Development portfolio, further escalated the investigation by forming four investigative panels headed by IAS officers to scrutinize the purported mismanagement within the civic agency
