Bengaluru: A devastating fire broke out in a four-storey building in Nagarathpet, under Halasuru Gate police station limits, around 3:30 am on Saturday, claiming five lives. The deceased have been identified as Madan Kumar (36), his wife Sangeetha (33), their children Mithesh (8) and Vihaan (5), along with Suresh (30), who was residing on the second floor. According to officials, the fire originated in a plastic mat warehouse on the ground floor and quickly spread across the building. The blaze left the family on the third floor and workers on the lower floors trapped, making rescue operations difficult. Firefighters from six vehicles, supported by over 50 personnel, SDRF teams, and police, battled the flames for several hours before bringing the situation under control.

Dense smoke hampered rescue efforts, but the bodies were later recovered and shifted to Victoria Hospital for post-mortem. Authorities suspect that improper storage of inflammable materials in the warehouse triggered the accident.

Former Chickpet MLA R.V. Devaraj, who visited the site, demanded strict action against those responsible for converting residential buildings into unsafe storage units, warning that such negligence endangers lives.

Fire and Emergency Services Director Shivashankar confirmed that investigations are underway to determine the exact cause of the fire and to check whether the building had followed safety regulations.

The tragic incident has raised concerns over fire safety compliance in Bengaluru’s congested commercial areas, where mixed-use buildings often combine warehouses with residential units, posing severe risks to occupants.