Bengaluru: Two foreign nationals died following suspected electrocution at the swimming pool of the five-star Conrad Hotel in Bengaluru on Friday evening, October 30. Two other people, including an American hotel guest and an Indian pool attendant, were injured while attempting to rescue them.
The incident occurred at the swimming pool on the third floor of the hotel in the Halasuru (Ulsoor) area. Police have registered a case and launched an investigation to establish how the suspected electrical fault occurred.
German and Slovak nationals among the deceased
The deceased have been identified in media reports as Alexander Maximilian Theiss, 57, a German national and a Lufthansa crew member, and Juraj Horvat, 45, a Slovak national who reportedly worked as a project manager at IBM.
The two men were staying at the hotel when the incident occurred. According to initial reports, they were using the swimming pool on Friday evening when they allegedly suffered electric shocks.
Police have confirmed that the deceased were nationals of Germany and Slovakia. The exact circumstances surrounding the incident are yet to be established.
Two injured while attempting rescue
Two people sustained injuries while trying to rescue the victims from the swimming pool.
They have been identified as Mathew Desantis, 41, an American national staying at the hotel, and Rahul Tiwari, 28, a pool attendant and lifeguard employed at the property.
Both injured persons were shifted to Manipal Hospital for treatment. They are reported to be out of danger.
The incident has raised concerns about the safety of electrical installations and maintenance arrangements at hotel swimming pools. However, the precise cause of the suspected electrocution has not yet been officially confirmed.
Police investigate possible electrical fault
Bengaluru East Division police have registered a case and initiated an investigation into the deaths.
Investigators are expected to examine the swimming pool’s electrical systems and other installations to determine how the water may have become electrically charged. The sequence of events, including the rescue attempts, is also part of the investigation.
Some media reports have raised the possibility of a fault involving the pool’s underwater lighting. However, police have not officially confirmed this as the cause, and the suspected source of the electric shock remains under investigation.
The investigation will also seek to establish whether any technical malfunction or safety lapse contributed to the incident.
Swimming pool closed following incident
The hotel’s swimming pool was reportedly marked as closed for maintenance from October 31 to November 30, according to information on the hotel’s website cited in media reports.
The incident has drawn attention to the importance of electrical safety checks and regular maintenance of swimming pool facilities, particularly in hotels and other public establishments.
There has been no confirmed final finding on the cause of the deaths. Further details are awaited as the police investigation progresses.