A thatched shed that went up in flames early on Friday morning in Shenoy Nagar left half a dozen elderly residents in the area tense throughout the day. However, no one was injured.
Vimala, a 68-year-old woman, was shocked to see flames leaping into the sky from the ventilator in her bathroom of her home on 1st West Main Road at 2.15 a.m. on Friday. Her cries woke up her 74-year-old husband M. Suryamurthy. The couple went to the terrace and attached a hose pipe to the water tank and poured water on the fire that was also engulfing their neighbour Zainuddhin Zainu's house.
Mr. Zainu, 91, also joined the couple in dousing the fire. His wife, who is bed-ridden, was sleeping in the ground floor bedroom.
ADVERTISEMENT
Around 2.30 a.m., fire tenders arrived at the spot and it took them two hours to put out the fire, the residents said. According to Fire Department officials, a 20x15 ft. shed built to house labourers on the footpath outside Mr. Zainu's house had caught fire and had damaged the facade of his house, including an air-conditioner in Ms. Zainu's room and some window panes. Owner of the damaged house A. Maheshwari said the sub-contractor, who had been working on laying stormwater drains on the street, had built the shed and housed the workers there. “They told us that they would remove the shed within a month but work has been in progress for three months,” said C.M.S. Srikumar, another resident.
By Friday afternoon the sub-contractor and the police were on the spot trying to pacify the agitated residents. When contacted, a Corporation official said some miscreants had set fire to the shed.