Women leap to safety as midnight blaze engulfs Bengaluru PG; video goes viral
Bengaluru: Panic gripped Nandini Layout in Bengaluru after a major fire broke out at a paying guest accommodation, forcing more than 30 women residents to jump from the building to escape. The videos and CCTV footage of the incident have gone viral on social media on Tuesday.
The issue has also raised concerns regarding the following of protocols and safety standards by PG facilities across Bengaluru.
Eyewitnesses said the swift response and evacuation helped prevent a major tragedy. Local residents also assisted in rescue efforts before emergency services arrived at the scene.
According to police, the blaze erupted at around 12.40 A.M. on Monday and is suspected to have originated from a short circuit in the wiring of a nearby LED banner shop. The fire quickly spread to the adjacent four-storey PG building, engulfing the structure within minutes and filling it with thick smoke.
With flames rapidly intensifying and escape routes cut off, several residents were left with no option but to leap from the building to save their lives. CCTV footage from the area captured the desperate attempts of young women in night dress jumping to safety as the fire spread.
The videos show girls and young women screaming, shouting, and crying for help as the fire broke out.
Police officials confirmed that no casualties were reported in the incident.
Further investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the fire and assess safety compliance in the affected buildings.
It can be recalled that in December 2025, a major gas cylinder explosion at a PG accommodation in Kundalahalli in Bengaluru triggered a fire, killing a 23-year-old techie and injuring three others.
The blast was caused by a commercial LPG cylinder and led to a fire inside the building. Authorities later found multiple safety violations at the premises, and a case was filed against the management, making it one of the most serious recent PG-related fire tragedies in Bengaluru.
Following the Kundalahalli tragedy in 2025, authorities found that many PG accommodations lacked basic fire safety measures, including the absence of fire exits, the use of illegal kitchens with commercial LPG cylinders, and poor compliance with building regulations.
Subsequent inspections led to several PGs being fined or sealed for serious fire safety violations, highlighting widespread lapses in safety standards.