Fire At Bangalore Carlton Towers Hotel

A fire broke out at the seven-story Carlton Towers hotel and office building in Bengaluru (Bangalore) at approximately 1630 local time (1100 GMT) on 23 February 2010. A short circuit triggered the fire on the third floor, from where it spread to higher levels. While people were evacuated from the lower levels, the fire trapped those on the upper levels, and some eyewitness reports indicate that people were attempting to climb or jump out of the building. At least nine people have been killed. Significant traffic disruptions are occurring in the area around the building, which is located on Old Airport Road near the Inner Ring Road on the eastern side of the city.