Bengaluru: Fiat Car Catches Fire Near CM Siddaramaiah’s Residence; No Casualties Reported

A Fiat car caught fire near CM Siddaramaiah’s residence in Bengaluru on Friday morning. Hotel staff and police quickly controlled the blaze. The fire brigade arrived late, but fortunately, no casualties were reported in the incident.

Bengaluru: A Fiat car suddenly caught fire and burned fiercely in Bengaluru near Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s residence on Friday morning, causing panic among passersby and nearby residents. Smoke reportedly began emanating from the car’s engine while it was in motion, and the vehicle quickly erupted into flames. The fire raged for over half an hour before being controlled, prompting criticism of the delayed response from the fire brigade. Fortunately, thanks to swift action by hotel staff and police, there were no casualties.

Hotel Staff Quickly Extinguish Fire

As the fire brigade was delayed in arriving at the scene, the staff of the nearby ITC Windsor Manor hotel immediately took action. Using the hotel’s fire extinguishing system, they managed to control the blaze and prevent it from spreading to nearby vehicles and property.

Police Step In to Assist

Although the hotel staff’s efforts helped contain the fire, it could not be completely extinguished. The police intervened, using water from a tanker to finally bring the flames under control.

Fire Brigade Arrives Late

The fire brigade arrived only after the fire was extinguished, prompting discontent among local residents. Witnesses criticised the authorities for their delayed response, noting that the car had burned for over half an hour before professional help arrived.

Statements From Car Owner and Driver

The car owner told the media that smoke emerged from the engine, leading to the fire, and emphasised that there was nothing suspicious about the incident.

The driver, who was transporting a customer booked via the DriveU app from Koramangala, said:

"While stopping at a signal, I suddenly noticed smoke. When I pulled over to check, the car caught fire, and I couldn’t extinguish it."

The High Grounds police took the car owner to the station for questioning. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported in the incident.