Officials blame discarded rubber and other inflammable scrap dumped by BMTC at Shantinagar bus depot for past 20 yrs for yesterday's fire

Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) sources admitted to this reporter that inflammable scrap material that had been lying uncleared at the Shantinagar bus depot for the past 20 years was responsible for yesterday's fire.

Smoking hazard: Fire personnel attempt to douse fire at BMTC workshop at the Shantinagar bus depot yesterday. Pic/Vinod Kumar T

"While the BMTC cleared steel scrap, empty fuel barrels and rubber scrap had been left lying on the spot for the past 20 years. It was this junk that caught fire," explained a BMTC official.

The blaze was doused by the fire brigade, which reached minutes after the fire break out, before it could do any damage. The fire spread quickly because it contained diesel and grease.

For a while, the fire created panic in the city. The fire officials took nearly 5 hours to extinguish the fire completely.

	The Other Side
	Aravinda Chakravarthy, Director, security and vigilance, BMTC, said, "It is unlikely that the scrap has been lying there for the last 20 years. I do agree that it has been there for a very long time. We don't know how the fire broke out. As it was waste that caught fire, there has been no damage. We will clear the area as soon as possible." Read Next Story CM will know the colour of your door› Trending Stories Latest Photos Latest Videos Latest Web Stories ADVERTISEMENT Mid-Day Fast ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT