Major fire breaks out at Bengaluru school during summer holidays
Bengaluru, May 30
A major fire broke out at the Chitrakoota Kaushalya School near Jnanabharathi in Bengaluru's Visvesvaraya Layout on Saturday, triggering panic in the surrounding area.
According to the police, the fire broke out on the fifth floor of the school building.
As the school was closed for the summer holidays, a major tragedy was averted.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire may have been caused by an electrical short circuit.
The blaze was first noticed in the auditorium and quickly engulfed the entire floor. Staff members present in the auditorium managed to escape safely before the fire spread.
Three fire tenders were rushed to the spot, and firefighters brought the blaze under control after a sustained operation.
Fortunately, no casualties or injuries were reported. Fire and Emergency Services personnel responded swiftly and prevented the flames from spreading to other parts of the campus.
Authorities have launched an investigation to ascertain the cause of the fire and assess the extent of the damage caused to the school property.
Meanwhile, in a separate fire incident, a furniture showroom was gutted in Sanganakeri Cross in Mudalagi taluk of Belagavi district in north Karnataka.
The SMK Furniture Shop was completely destroyed in the fire. The blaze reportedly broke out around midnight, and an explosion was heard before the flames rapidly spread through the premises, reducing the shop to ashes.
Furniture and other materials worth crores of rupees are believed to have been destroyed in the incident.
Fortunately, the security guard, who was sleeping outside the showroom, escaped unhurt. He immediately alerted the authorities after noticing the fire.
Firefighters rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control. The jurisdictional Ghataprabha police have registered a case and taken up the investigation.
Preliminary investigations indicate that an electrical short circuit may have caused the fire. However, police are also probing the circumstances surrounding the reported explosion and are awaiting a detailed technical assessment.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This is a wake-up call for all educational institutions. Summer or not, fires can happen anytime and it's tragic that it took this incident to highlight how poorly maintained some of our schools are. The fact that it spread so quickly from the 5th floor means fire safety protocols were likely not up to standard. Hope the investigation is thorough and not just a formality.
Living in this area was petrifying when the fire started - we could see the smoke from our balcony. The staff who were in the auditorium were very lucky to escape. But the real heartbreak is the furniture shop in Belagavi - losing crores worth of stock is devastating for that family. 😢 This is why we need better building regulations and fire safety audits everywhere.
Two incidents in one day - both from electrical short circuits. This is a common problem in India, especially during summers when load on the grid increases. Many buildings don't have proper earthing or updated wiring. The government should mandate regular electrical audits for all commercial and educational buildings. Prevention is always better than relief.
As a parent, this is terrifying. My child goes to a similar school nearby. We hear about these incidents so often but nothing changes. The school management must take full responsibility and ensure proper fire safety measures are in place. Also appreciate the fire department's prompt response - they saved the situation from being much worse! 👨🚒
The irony is that this school is in Visvesvaraya Layout - named after the great engineer Sir MV! Yet here we see such basic safety failures. The
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