Bangalore’s Carlton Towers sealed after blaze kills nine

The charred Carlton Towers in Bangalore was sealed on Wednesday, a day after a major fire broke out claiming nine lives and injuring about 50 people, a fire brigade official said.

"We have sealed the entire premises to investigate the cause of the fire and ascertain whether the seven-storey building had fire safety systems in place," Bangalore Fire Brigade director D B Chengappa told reporters.

The police also booked cases of negligence and culpable homicide not amounting to murder against the building owners.

"The government has ordered an inquiry in the fire mishap and directed the Bangalore Bruhat Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to review fire safety measures in all high-rise buildings across the city," Chengappa said.

Flames engulfed the plush address on one of Bangalore's myriad software corridors at around 3 pm on Tuesday. The seven-storey building on Airport Road houses many firms, including software companies such as Wipro, and a Thank God It's Friday restaurant on the ground floor.

Three persons died of injuries after jumping from the top floors of the building while six succumbed to severe burns and asphyxiation, said sources at Manipal Hospital, where those affected were rushed. Unconfirmed reports said at least eight of those who died had jumped out in panic.

While one of the dead was a security guard, the others were all professionals below the age of 35.