Minor fire breaks out at North Block,none injured

The fire control room received a distress call at 2.20 pm,about the fire in the first floor of the MHA office. Eight fire tenders were rushed to the spot.

“The fire was not inside any room. It was near the exit balcony,close to room number 102. It was a small fire and was doused within a few minutes. Since it is a Sunday,there were not many officials inside the building. It seems that the fire started in the garbage,which had accumulated near the emergency exit,close to a balcony. There were also some wires running near the garbage. Police are investigating the cause of fire,” said A K Sharma,Director of Delhi Fire Services.

Sharma said the firemen climbed up the balcony and used a water jet to douse the fire. Fire officials at the spot said at first the fire appeared to be big,as the wooden door near the garbage was also burning.

“No documents were destroyed. Either there was short circuit or someone threw a lit cigarette or a bidi in the garbage,causing the fire,” said Sharma.

Union Home Secretary R K Singh visited the spot. He confirmed that no papers were destroyed and the fire was a minor one.

Home Minister P Chidamabaran and Police Commissioner B K Gupta also reached the spot minutes after the fire was doused.

Senior police officials of the New Delhi district also rushed to the spot. A team from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory and Delhi Police’s crime investigation unit also visited the spot later in the day to collect sample from the debris for chemical analysis.

A case has been registered at the Parliament Street police station.