Fire at Bellandur slum, 10 huts gutted

Huts destroyed in fire near Bellandur on Tuesday.

Around 10 huts near Green Glen Layout, Bellandur, caught fire due to a short circuit on Tuesday. Residents were saved in the nick of time as neighbours helped the evacuation. No casualties were reported.

Most of the people living in slum are construction and daily wage labourers. According to the residents, the short circuit in the electric wire passing near the slum caused the fire around 9.30 am.

The fire spread to nearby huts, damaging the valuables inside.

Sonali Singh, an activist from Mahadevapura, said: “The whole community came together to take care of the affected, and the local residents arranged lunch and dinner for the victims.”

“Since the slum is gutted and most of the belongings are lost, we have arranged clothes, water, dry food provisions, utensils and other basic needs,” she added.

Local residents with help of the fire personnel doused the fire.

The residents were asked to vacate the premises as a preventive measure.

Another local resident said: “Due to the fire, gas cylinders also started to explode. The fire brigade came late due to heavy traffic in the area.”

According to the fire brigade, a blaze was reported at Green Glen Layout near Sobha Mayflower, and a fire tender was rushed to the spot.

The blaze was brought under control within 50 minutes, and only a couple of huts were damaged in the incident.