Two foreign tourists die of electrocution in Bengaluru hotel

Bengaluru: Two foreign nationals died of suspected electrocution in the swimming pool of a five-star hotel here, while two others, including an American tourist, sustained injuries while attempting to rescue them, police said on Saturday.

The incident occurred around 6.30 pm on Friday, at the swimming pool located on the third floor of the hotel in Halasuru. The deceased have been identified as German national Alexander Maximilian Theiss, 57, and Slovak national Juraj Horvath, 45.

According to police sources, both men suffered fatal electric shocks after the swimming pool water allegedly became electrically charged due to a suspected fault in the electrical system. The circumstances under which the pool water became energised are being investigated.

American tourist Mathew DeSantis, 41, and hotel lifeguard Rahul Tiwari, 28, were injured while attempting to pull the two men out of the water. They reportedly rushed to rescue the victims but suffered injuries in the process.

Both injured persons were shifted to Manipal Hospital for medical treatment. Hospital sources said they were in a stable condition.

The incident has raised concerns over electrical safety arrangements and maintenance standards at the hotel's swimming pool. The police have registered a negligence case against the hotel management following a complaint lodged by Horvath's wife.

Preliminary inspections by officials of the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) have indicated a possible problem with the earthing system or an electrical fault in the installations connected to the swimming pool.

Investigating officials are examining the electrical infrastructure of the pool to determine how the water may have become electrified. They are also looking into the maintenance procedures followed by the hotel management and whether adequate safety measures were in place to prevent such incidents.

The police are collecting details about the sequence of events, the rescue attempt, and the circumstances leading to the deaths. Further investigation is underway to determine responsibility for the incident. Further details about the incident are yet to emerge.