Five die after fire breaks out in B’luru restaurant
BENGALURU: Five labourers died in a fire that broke out on Monday night at a bar and restaurant in the Kalasipalyam area.
The deceased have been identified as Swami (23), Prasad (20), Mahesh (35) from Tumakuru; Manjunath (45), who hails from Hassan; and Keerthi (24), a native of Mandya.
VR Dayashankar, the proprietor of the establishment, was arrested by the Bengaluru police and taken into custody.
According to the police, the five were asleep in Kaliash Bar and Restaurant, when the fire broke out. “The cause of the fire is unknown,” said MN Anucheth, deputy commissioner of Police, west division.
Three fire tender trucks were pressed into service, however, they were unable to save the workers.
Bengaluru mayor Sampath Raj said it was a violation of rules to allow the workers to reside on the premises.
“In such cases, permission has to be sought from the labour department, which was not done,” he said.
“The owner has flouted multiple rules, including a lack of fire safety measures. We will definitely bring him to book,” Raj said.
The outlet is located in a market area, in the Kumbara Sangha Hostel building, which is used by bachelors, Mohammad Abrar, who owns a tea stall nearby, said.
“All those who died were regular customers of mine,” Abrar said.
According to him, the labourers had worked out a deal with the owner to live inside the establishment. State home minister Ramalinga Reddy, Bengaluru development minister KJ George and senior police officials visited the spot.