Ten men - all kinsmen from Bikaner in Rajasthan working as carpenters here - suffered injuries in a fire ignited by a gas leak at their residence in V. Nagenahalli near Hebbal Thursday morning.
Around 5.30 a.m., when Mahaveer (35) switched on the stove to prepare tea, the gas, which had leaked through the night filling the shed, ignited. Mr. Mahaveer suffered 80 per cent burns and the others, around 30 per cent burns.
According to the Hebbal police, the men had finished their cooking late Wednesday and fallen asleep in their small shed.
“The stove had an old pipe that was damaged. The gas leaked all night, and they were unaware of it, said a police official.
“Though the fire was not that intense, all suffered burns because the room was small. And since they were huddled together, they did not have the time to react to the fire.”
The fire was doused immediately and the injured were rushed to a nearby hospital. Police described Mahaveer's condition as “critical, but improving.”
Engineer killed
A rider died after a lorry rammed into his motorcycle on Doddaballapur Road Wednesday afternoon.
Venkatesh (33), a contract engineer, was near Kodimanchanhallikere on Doddaballapur Road when a lorry hit the two-wheeler.
Devanahalli Airport Traffic police said the lorry driver was speeding recklessly.
Mr. Venkatesh, a K.R. Puram resident, suffered grievous injuries and the driver fled the scene, leaving the lorry behind. The victim died later in hospital.
House burgled
Gold, cash and electronic items cumulatively worth around Rs. 3 lakh were reported stolen on Thursday from a house in HBR Layout.
Varadhan K. (63) and his wife had left for a wedding on Tuesday morning after locking their house at 4 Block HBR Layout. When they returned on Wednesday evening, they found the lock broken and gold ornaments, a DVD player, and Rs. 30,000 in cash stolen, K.G. Halli police said.
Published - December 16, 2011 11:52 am IST