Three of the dead were in their early twenties
Police have arrested the owner and the manager of a resto-bar after a major fire killed five employees in their sleep late last night. The bar was almost completely charred before the fire was brought under control in the early hours of Monday. Those killed were sleeping inside the bar-cum-restaurant.
The blaze broke out in Kailash Bar and Restaurant on the ground floor of the Kumbara Sangha building at Kalasipalya around 2.30 am, when smoke was noticed and fire brigade alerted by some persons nearby, police said.
Police arrested owner V R Prakash and manager Somashekar after the incident and a case also has been filed against two others including the owner of the building where the outlet was located.
Three of the dead were in their early twenties. Following the fire, the mayor of the city has asked the civic body to do safety checks at all bars and restaurants in Bengaluru. Several bars have already been sealed and notices issued to some others for violation of rules.
The bar had a "class 9" licence, which meant it should have at least two entrances, but it had only one -- a rolling shutter. Its ceiling was at a height of 7 feet instead of the minimum 15 feet required by law. There was no fire extinguisher.
Three expert team including have inspected the spot and the building and their reports as to the cause of the fire are awaited.