A vehicle suddenly caught fire in Marathahalli on Tuesday evening triggering panic among commuters and causing a massive traffic jam in the already congested area in Bengaluru. The incident occurred around 7:30 pm, forcing the vehicle's occupants to evacuate quickly. Fortunately, no injuries or casualties were reported.
According to preliminary investigations by the traffic police, the fire may have been caused by a short circuit, as per a report on One India. The blaze led to a complete standstill of traffic for several hours, with officials working tirelessly to clear the area and restore normal movement, reported News9. The incident has reignited concerns over the safety of electric vehicles and the need for stricter regulations to prevent such hazards.
In a separate incident that took place two weeks ago, a fire broke out at an Okinawa Galaxy electric vehicle showroom in Rajajinagar. The blaze, which started around 2 pm at the showroom on Dr Rajkumar Road, destroyed 19 electric two-wheelers and partially damaged over 15 others. It was confirmed that more than 30 vehicles in the showroom remained unharmed. While the fire's exact cause has been investigated, authorities suspect that a short circuit in one of the vehicles may have sparked the incident.
The Bescom electrical inspector will submit a detailed report on both incidents soon. These back-to-back events have sparked widespread discussions about the safety protocols for electric vehicles and the infrastructure supporting them.