Fire breaks out in three-storeyed building in Bengaluru

Accidental fire in Bengaluru building housing ayurvedic firm, 11 people rescued from roof, no injuries reported.

An accidental fire broke out in a three-storeyed building housing an ayurvedic firm on 80 feet Main Road, R.T. Nagar, on Friday (April 5) afternoon. No one was injured in the accident.

However, tension prevailed as 11 people were trapped on the roof of the building, with thick columns of smoke billowing from the building. Firefighters rescued them by making them walk over to the adjoining building using a ladder. Of the 11 rescued, three suffered from breathing difficulties after inhaling smoke. All of them have been discharged, police said.

The building houses an ayurvedic firm that markets “Miracle Drinks”, potions reportedly researched by retired IAS officer S.M. Raju from the State who served in Bihar cadre and claims to offer treatment for 170 health disorders. The building also houses a firm, IDS Next Business Solutions Pvt Ltd, a tech solutions provider in the hospitality industry.

The fire broke out around 1.45 p.m. on Friday in the basement of the three-storeyed building.

“The fire is suspected to have begun from a spark from the generator set in the basement. It soon spread to some of the two-wheelers parked nearby, and this led to dense smoke, which spread to the top floors through the staircase area. While a few of the employees working in offices in the building ran out, those on the second floor couldn’t, as the smoke had engulfed the area before they could rush down. Since the smoke was coming from below, they ran to safety on the roof of the building and were trapped there,” explained a senior firefighter.

Five fire tenders brought the blaze under control, even as another team began evacuation operations.

“We couldn’t access the building’s terrace through the staircase, so we approached it through the adjoining building. There was a gap of around 5 feet between the two buildings. Our personnel put ladders between the two buildings and made 11 people walk over the ladders to safety,” the official explained.