BHOPAL: A massive blaze, which erupted at the six-storied state government building in Bhopal on Monday afternoon gutting a major portion of the property on the top four floors, was doused after 17 hours on Tuesday morning.
According to Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) fire officer Rameshwar Neel, more than 35 fire tenders from Bhopal and adjoining Raisen district were pressed into service at Satpura Bhawan throughout Monday-Tuesday night.
“The fire, which erupted prima facie due to a possible electric short circuit in an air conditioner on the third floor at 4pm on Monday, was controlled by midnight. But it was completely doused by 9am on Tuesday. The third and the fourth floor of the building bore the worst impact of the blaze, with nearly the entire property, including files and furniture being gutted,” Neel added.
Neel added that had there been a proper passage for the fire tenders inside the six-decade-old building premises (located close to the state secretariat), the fire could’ve been doused by Monday evening.
CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who briefed PM Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday evening, had sought Indian Air Force’s help in dousing the fire. Columns of the Indian Army and CISF were pressed into action.
There was no human casualty or injury in the blaze as thousands of employees were evacuated safely. The CM has already formed a four-member panel headed by additional chief secretary (ACS-Home) Rajesh Rajoura to probe the blaze, particularly its cause.
“The probe panel, which has started its probe from Tuesday, has been asked to submit its report within three days. While a holiday was declared on Tuesday for employees working in offices located in the fire-hit building, alternative arrangements for shifting the operations of the concerned offices elsewhere will be finalised by Tuesday evening,” state home minister Narottam Mishra said on Tuesday.