Pramesh S Jain & Dr.Thomas (Special Correspondent)
Two of the BBMP employee including two engineers have been detained for questioning in connection with the fire mishap at Quality Control Laboratory at BBMP premises on Friday.
R.Srinivas Gowda,DCP, central Division,said that the probe is on to ascertain the exact reason behind the mishap.
Nine people have sustained 25 to 30 per cent of the burn injuries who were having meeting at the first floor of the building where the lab was situated .
A case of negligence has been take up and investigations are on to ascertain whether the lab had required permission to run in the premises,followed SOP, guidelines and procedure to carry out tests,he said .
There were rumours that only D group employees were conducting the tests and the other officials incharge were not present,which led to the mishap.
The investigations are on to ascertain who were in-charge of the tests and what procedure have been followed .
Preliminary inquiry revealed that an asphalt test was being carried out at the time of incident to measure the bitumen concentration and to ascertain the strength level of benzine .
The improper handling of flammable benzine suspected to have led the fire.
The FSL and scientific officers teams have camped at the scene of incident to gather evidence for an analysis for a further investigations,Mr.Gowda,said .
Meanwhile some of the injured officials who were being treated at the hospital able to record their statement about the incident, while others are not in a condition to give statement,a senior officer, said .
The civic body,however,has ordered the Prahalad-led enquiry committee to submit a technical enquiry report on or before August 31.
The BBMP has also ordered the committee to suggest suitable technical and infrastructural measures to be implemented to avoid such incidents in the future.
Tushar Giri Nath,chief commissioner,Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP),told reporters that the incident took place between 5 pm and 5.30 pm.
“I was in the office,there was a power failure.Then I learnt that a fire broke out in a building behind our office.
When I went there,I saw a massive fire raging from the building.The incident caused major loss.Those working around there were injured.They were rushed to hospital,”he said.
The injured were rushed to St Martha’s Hospital in the vicinity for first aid and were subsequently shifted to the burns ward of the Victoria Government Hospital.
He further said nine engineers,including the chief engineer,have sustained injuries.He however,said their health condition is stable and some have severe burn injury doctors are treating them .
To a query about the damage to materials, the BBMP chief said it will be known later.
We are not focusing on what is burnt there.It will be known later,”he said.
The incident occurred days after the Congress-led state government ordered a judicial inquiry into the alleged irregularities that took place in the BBMP during the previous the BJP government.
Apart from the judicial probe,Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar,who holds the Bengaluru Development portfolio,formed four panels headed by IAS officers to investigate the alleged irregularities in the civic agency.
Siddaramaiah along with his Deputy and Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy visited Victoria Hospital and enquired about the health condition of the injured.
Later speaking to reporters,he said he has ordered Tushar Girinath to investigate how and why the incident happened.He said the injured have sustained injuries on their faces and hands.
Doctors,according to the chief minister, have said that the injured have got over 30 per cent burn wounds.He said he is hopeful that they would recover.
