4 killed after fire breaks out in bank

Four persons, including two women, were killed and an equal number injured when a fire broke out in a multi-storeyed commercial complex today, top officials said.

The fire broke out in the office of a private bank around 10.30 am, the reason for which is yet to be ascertained, they said.

Ten to 12 fire tenders, including some from Army and Navy, were used and the fire was doused after over one-and-a-half hours.

A majority of the people were taken to safety by fire force personnel and locals who rushed to the spot to assist in rescue operations, District Collector M Karunagaran said.

While two women were injured when they jumped from the second floor, two fire force personnel sustained injuries after they fell down when the water-pipe hose got entangled in their legs, officials said.

There are eight offices in the complex employing 300 people.u00a0