9 injured in Bengaluru cafe blast, fire dept rules out gas leak

NEW DELHI: At least nine people suffered injuries after a big explosion at Bengaluru’s popular Rameshwaram café during the busy lunch hour on Friday. Those injured have been shifted to different hospitals for treatment. Among them were two staff and seven customers, officials said.
As per initial reports, a woman’s handbag was found at the spot. A bomb disposal squad and forensic teams are at the spot to ascertain the actual cause of the blast as police now suspect that a bag at the eatery exploded.
The cafe which is located at Whitefield’s Brookfield area, a vibrant neighborhood, a business centre as well as a tech hub.The is usually crowded with employees from nearby offices during the lunch hours.
Karnataka DGP Alok Mohan, Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda and other senior officials are inspecting the premises, which has been cordoned off. NIA and IB officials have also been informed, the DGP said.
Eyewitness recounts the incident
A man who is working as a security guard at cafe, told reporters, “I was standing outside the cafe. Many customers had come to the hotel. Suddenly there was a loud sound and a fire broke out, causing injuries to the customers inside the hotel.”
Edison, another eyewitness said, “I was waiting outside the eatery for my turn when suddenly we heard a loud noise… an explosion. We got scared not knowing what it was. There were around 35-40 people at the eatery. They all started rushing out and there was absolute chaos. They started saying that a cylinder exploded. But we don’t know exactly what happened.”
Amruth, who works at a private firm nearby had just placed his order when he suddenly heard a huge explosion. “I was waiting outside the cafe after placing my order and the blast took place…we saw some four people were injured. In no time, ambulance and fire engine rushed in. Police teams were here. They started rescuing people…,” he said.
Bomb squad reaches blast spot
The bomb squad has arrived at the spot, responding to an explosion that occurred around 1:30 pm today. Forensic teams, along with police officials from the HAL, Whitefield, and Indiranagar police stations, are present at the scene for investigation.
“We received a call about a cylinder blast in Rameshwaram cafe. Immediately, a fire engine was rushed to the spot. Initial suspicions are that it is a cylinder blast. However, it is being ascertained. It is a minor blast and we have shifted those injured to the hospital. The incident occurred between 1.30 and 2 pm. We are probing it from all angles,” a police officer said while talking to news agency PTI.
Fire dept rules out gas leak as cause
“At 1.08 pm today, the fire department received a call about LPG leakage fire in the cafe. When our officers and teams reached the spot, there was no fire or flame. A bag which was lying behind a woman who was sitting with six other customers at the eatery exploded. It is suspected that the explosion could have been caused due to some object in that bag,” TN Shivashankar, Director of Karnataka State Fire and Emergency Services department told PTI.
It is not clear whose bag it was, he said.
Ruling out about the possibility of any gas cylinder leakage, the officer said, “I along with my team of officers inspected the spot. But there is no sign of any leakage from the gas cylinder. We have checked it. Another LPG gas cylinder inside the kitchen which was used for tea and coffee was also checked but there is no leakage from it as well. There is no sign of gas leakage from any cylinders at the spot as per our initial probe.”
Who’s the owner of Rameshwaram Cafe?
The cafe was founded in 2021 by CA Divya Raghavendra Rao and Raghavendra Rao. The name was chosen as a tribute to the late Dr APJ Abdul Kalam’s birthplace.
Why is Rameshwaram Cafe so famous in Bengaluru?
* Stringent regulations ensure high food quality and careful selection of ingredients.
* All recipes are free from artificial coloring or flavoring.
* Outlets operate without refrigerators.
* Rameshwaram Cafe remains open until 2 am.