While the actual cause of the fire is still unclear, local authorities speculated that it could be due to the toxic chemicals which are part of the foam.
Here’s a little video of the fire captured by Bangalore Mirror.
Who set Bellandur Lake ablaze??We all know the issues being faced by Bengaluru’s lakes, especially the problem with the snow-like foam on their surfaces. But who in the world would try to “solve” this issue by lighting the foam on fire? Bellandur Lake reportedly burned all night last night. Investigations into the incident are currently taking place. In the meanwhile, here is some footage we managed to gather from the incident. Look out for a full report on the incident in Bangalore Mirror tomorrow.
“We believe it is because of methane build up along the surface. Sewage has been following into the lake, and a layer of oil and froth – which is caused by accumulating chemicals from detergents and cleaners – had formed. In one area, methane gas had started to accumulate within the froth. This is a highly combustible gas, and it must have caught on fire,” a Karnataka State Pollution Control Board representative told the Hindu following the incident.
Although it’s been weeks since the original incident of the lake frothing up was reported, local authorities have not taken any actions. BBMP, BDA and the others either blame each other or shrug off responsibility, despite solid proof of the fact that it’s affecting crops, traffic and of course, the local water supply.
