Attibele cracker shop, where fire broke out, killing 14, razed

BENGALURU: Two days after 14 people were burnt alive in a fire which broke out at a firecracker shop at Attibele, the Fire and Emergency Services personnel have flattened the godown where the incident occured, with excavators.

The truck from which firecrackers were being unloaded was parked right next to an electricity pole and investigators are looking into whether an electric spark may have caused the fire.

With the Criminal Investigation Department (CIS) taking over the proble, Bescom officials visited the site on Monday and examined the spot where a power cable had snapped. Meanwhile, after the fire incident at Balaji Traders, other firecracker sellers adjacent to it have removed their banners and closed their shops overnight.

The taluk administration is now conducting checks of firecracker shops including permits, available stocks, expiry date among other details. The team, led by deputy tahsildar Sridhar and Attibele municipal council executive officer Manjunath also conducted checks if all rules are being followed by the vendors.

The last rites of the deceased were conducted in the respective villages.

On Sunday evening, the last rites of the 14 people who died in the fire, were conducted by the families. They hailed from Dharmapuri and Tiruvannamalai districts in Tamil Nadu.

At T Ammapettai village, the last rites of seven of the dead were conducted at the same time while the others were laid to rest in their respective villages.