Bengaluru: A 55-year-old homemaker lost her life in a devastating fire at Rajajinagar, north Bengaluru, Monday night.The deceased, Savitha N, was married to city-based contractor Ramesh Babu DR, 59. The family lived in a four-storey building, with the first and second floors rented out, while the upper two floors formed a duplex residence for the family. The ground floor was kept open for vehicle parking.According to preliminary investigation, the fire broke out in the kitchen on the third floor between 9.30pm and 9.50pm and quickly spread across the upper portion of the house.Babu told police that he and his mother, Sannamma, were on the lower floor watching TV, while his son, Vishruth DR, was in his bedroom on the upper floor. Vishruth noticed the fire and alerted Babu, urging them to evacuate. Savitha, on the top floor, was unable to descend before the fire rapidly engulfed the entire floor.As thick smoke filled the duplex, Savitha reportedly climbed to the terrace but is believed to have succumbed to severe breathing difficulties and died of suffocation. Fire and emergency personnel rushed to the scene after receiving the alert. Thanks to the swift action of the police and fire services, Babu, Sannamma, and Vishruth were rescued by 10.30pm, and the flames were brought under control.Strong winds caused the fire to spread across the entire floor. Fire and emergency personnel, along with assistant commissioner of plice Venugopal (Malleswaram subdivision) and his team, attempted to reach the third floor to rescue Savitha. However, toughened glass installed for lighting began breaking and falling, forcing them to wait until it shattered completely.They later found Savitha unconscious on the terrace. She, along with Babu, his mother, and son, was rushed to a nearby hospital, where Savitha was declared brought dead. Short circuit suspectedSubramanyanagar police suspect the fire was caused by a short circuit in one of the rooms. Officials noted that Savitha might have survived had she been able to climb down in time. Before the fire personnel arrived, residents switched off the building’s main power supply. The Scene of Crime Officers (SOCO) team visited the site to collect samples, and the electrical inspector has been asked to inspect the premises and submit a report.
