Woman, 34-year old techie, suffocates to death in house fire in Bengaluru: Report

In a heart-breaking incident, a 34-year-old IT professional in Bengaluru lost her life due to smoke inhalation during a fire at her rented home.

A 34-year-old woman working in the IT sector reportedly lost her life after inhaling smoke during a fire at her rented residence in Karnataka's Bengaluru on the night of January 3.

An investigation is underway after the woman was found dead in the apartment fire in Bengaluru. (UnSplash)

The deceased, Sharmila, hailed from Mangaluru and was employed with Accenture. The incident took place at a house in Subramanya Layout, though details emerged only later, a report by the NDTV said. Police said the fire was first noticed at around 10:30 pm, when smoke was seen pouring out of the building. The property owner, Vijayendra, alerted the Ramamurthy Nagar police, following which fire and emergency services were called in.

Firefighters forced open the locked door, by which time the house was heavily engulfed in dense smoke. The flames were quickly brought under control. During a search inside the house, Sharmila was found unconscious and immediately taken to a nearby hospital, where she was declared dead, said the report.

Investigators believe Sharmila may not have been able to evacuate due to the rapid spread of smoke and fire. She was reportedly staying alone in one room, while her friend, who occupied another room, was away in her hometown at the time. Preliminary findings suggest the fire may have originated in the friend’s room. Police suspect that when Sharmila opened her door, she was exposed to thick smoke, leading to suffocation and collapse, the report noted.

Sharmila had relocated to Bengaluru about a year ago for professional reasons. A team from the Forensic Science Laboratory has examined the site, and police are continuing to probe the exact cause of the blaze. An unnatural death case has been registered at the Ramamurthy Nagar police station, the report further stated.

HT.com has not independently verified the authenticity of this information.