Fire at Bengaluru bio-innovation centre destroys labs, damages up to Rs 110 crore

A fire caused by improper solvent handling severely damaged multiple startups and key facilities at the Bengaluru Bio Incubation Center. Losses estimated between Rs 80 crore and Rs 110 crore.

In Short

• Fire breaks out at Bengaluru bio innovation center
• Startups suffer up to Rs 110 crore in damages
• Fire department contains blaze in 2.5 hours

A fire broke out at a laboratory in a bio-innovation centre in Bengaluru, Karnataka, on Tuesday (January 14) morning. The fire in Galore Tx at 4.35 am was caused by improper handling of flammable solvents in the startup’s lab, leading to significant damage. The incident occurred despite prior warnings to all firms at the Bangalore Bio Incubation Center (BBC), advising them against storing and using large quantities of inflammable chemicals in their labs.
A separate open storage area was provided for such materials.

The second floor of the building in the lab, which was recently revamped to accommodate a larger number of startups, was completely gutted in the fire. Extensive damage was also reported on the first and ground floors, primarily due to the interconnected heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) lines. These damages severely impacted several key facilities within the BBC, including the Bangalore Bio Bank, Cleanroom facility, Flowcytometry, and the HVAC units.

The BBC is a Government of Karnataka undertaking which is located at the Electronic City in Bengaluru.

Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge, in a post on X, expressed his concern over the incident. He wrote, “A fire broke out at the Bangalore BioInnovation Center earlier today, and the cause of the blaze is yet to be ascertained. It is heartbreaking to witness years of hard work and dedication by our entrepreneurs reduced to ashes. I want to reassure them that the government stands firmly by their side and will do everything we can to support them in rebuilding and bouncing back. My gratitude to the Fire & Emergency Services of the Home Department for their response and assistance during this unfortunate incident.

In addition to the damage to BBC infrastructure, several of the incubated startups on the second floor faced significant losses. The startups, which relied on specialised equipment, consumables, and intellectual property (IP), sustained severe damage to their resources. The startups most affected included Fermbox, Phyxx 44, Ajitha Prodrug, Galore Tx, Ikesia, and Immunitas, with some having lost equipment across multiple labs. Other affected startups include Yokogawa, Atrimed Pharma, 4basecare, Anabio, Anava Bio, Pandorium, Oxonexe, Presude Lifesciences, and Zhichu.

Preliminary estimates indicate that the losses for the startups could range between Rs 80 crore to 110 crore. Meanwhile, the damage to BBC properties is estimated at around Rs 42 crore. Fortunately, there were no casualties reported in the fire, and the fire department successfully contained the blaze within approximately 2.5 hours. A detailed assessment report from the Fire Department is still awaited.