Fire at ministry offices, no one hurt

With the mercury level soaring in the Capital, there has been an increase in the number of fire incidents being reported in the city every day. Two fires broke out from two central government offices, merely half a kilometre from each other, on Friday.

In one incident, a fire broke out on the fifth floor of Udyog Bhawan. Officials from the fire department said the call was received at 10.35am after an air conditioner in one of the offices caught fire. “Five tenders were rushed to the spot and we managed to douse the fire with 15 minutes. No injuries were reported,” said a fire department official.

The building was evacuated and employees relocated till the cooling process was completed. The fifth floor houses the offices of the Ministry of Commerce. No one was hurt. Though the actual reason for the fire is yet to be confirmed, a short-circuit is suspected to have caused it.

Another fire of a higher intensity broke out blocks away in Krishi Bhawan when the second floor caught fire at 2.30pm.

“The false ceiling caught fire. We’re not sure how it started. Eight fire tenders along with one Bronto- hydraulic crane reached the spot. The fire was controlled in five minutes,” said the official. This is the fifth such instance reported from government offices. Officials said poor and under-maintained wiring system is a major contribution to such fires. “The load on the old wiring increases with more number of ACs and coolers used in offices during summer causing short circuits,” said the fire official.