A massive fire broke out at an apartment building in Bengaluru, with residents still stuck inside when the blaze engulfed the building. Four housing units at the Ashrith Aspire Apartment near the Indian Institute of Management near Bannerghatta Road were gutted. Visuals from the scene showed one woman stuck in the balcony of the four-storey apartment building, screaming for help, as the fire engulfed her. Two residents eventually lost their lives in the fire accident, while other residents managed to escape. Police have identified the deceased as Lakshmi Devi (82) and her daughter Rekha (59).

Visuals of the incident show flames engulfing one side of the building, with thick smoke billowing from the site. Residents of the apartment were still stuck inside their homes when the fire broke out. Videos of the incident show the fire climbing up the facade of the building. 

Fire department officials also carried out rescue operations for the residents still stuck inside when the fire broke out.  According to the officials, the cause of the blaze was a cylinder blast. 

According to the fire department control officer, they received a call at 4.41 pm, alerting them of the fire. “After we received a call, a water tank was sent to the location. Once they reported that the fire had intensified, we deputed two other fire engines to douse the fire,” the fire department official said. 

Warning: Video shows graphic visuals

Fire tenders managed to get in the building. Five people have been rescued. A 42 year old women seriously injured. pic.twitter.com/g4HM8jJetO

— Imran Khan (@KeypadGuerilla) September 21, 2021

The fire has now been brought under control. Out of the 75 housing units in the apartment, four have been completely damaged, fire department officials said, adding that they are investigating further damages to the building. It took close to two hours to douse the flames, they said.

The fire which gutted four apartments was doused two hours later by the Fire department officials