Blaze at health directorate, important files gutted
Other files soaked with water from hose used by firemen
LUCKNOW: A fire broke out at the health directorate at around 8.30 am on Wednesday, destroying important files in the office of the director general, medical health, and the monitoring cell of the directorate. The cleaning staff that entered the DG’s office in the morning first saw the smoke, coming out from the false ceiling, which made the officials believe that the fire might have broken out due to short circuit.
LUCKNOW: A fire broke out at the health directorate at around 8.30 am on Wednesday, destroying important files in the office of the director general, medical health, and the monitoring cell of the directorate.
The cleaning staf f t hat entered the DG’s office in the morning first saw the smoke, coming out from the false ceiling, which made the officials believe that the fire might have broken out due to short circuit.
The staff informed senior health officials and the fire station, which sent four vehicles to the spot. It took over two hours to douse the fire completely. As the staff entered inside the building that has offices of all senior health officials, it was found that there was only burnt furniture and other such items on the first floor where the office of the director general medical health is located.
As the news spread, a large number of health staff who reported on duty in the morning also came to the directorate. However, no one was allowed entry.
The files that were not burnt due to the fire got completely soaked with the water from the hose that the firemen used. The files were damaged at the DG’s camp office opposite the DG office and the monitoring cell of the department, also on the first floor. It will take a day or two to assess the exact loss of files, said to be related to appointments and some health projects.
Fumes continued for an hour after the fire was extinguished, as furniture, curtains and paper had all caught fire. The first floor was full of smoke that restricted entry of staff for hours.
“A sanitation worker who reached my cabin for cleaning saw smoke coming out of the false ceiling and immediately alerted the others “, said director general medical health, Vijay Laxmi. Health officials claimed no important records had been gutted. Principal secretary, health Arvind Kumar also reached the spot and took stock of the situation. A team of STF that is probing the previous fire incident that took place here a month ago, also reached the spot.