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Fire breaks out at Manesar school; 150 students evacuated
The fire started in the kitchen area and spread smoke and flames to the ground and first floors. No injuries were reported, officials said.
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A fire broke out at a private school near the NCG campus in Manesar around 7.40 am on Wednesday while about 150 students were present, triggering panic on the campus, fire officials said, adding no injuries were reported in the incident.
The fire, suspected to have been caused by a short-circuit in the kitchen area of Kautilya Academy, spread smoke and flames on the ground and first floors after an electrical short-circuit caused an explosion and sparks in the electrical lines, school officials said.
Fire officials received information at 7.55 am after school authorities called the fire helpline. “After receiving the call, we immediately dispatched three fire tenders to the venue. Unfortunately, two of the fire tenders were stuck in a traffic jam for a long time, but the third fire tender reached there within 15 minutes after diverting its route,” said Manesar fire station fireman Surinder (single name).
“It took us another 15-20 minutes of firefighting to completely douse the fire,” he added.
A senior school administration official said staff noticed smoke billowing from the kitchen near the staircase joining the ground and first floor. “There were around 150 students on the campus when the staff noticed the fire. The teaching staff immediately evacuated the campus and the two buses that were stopped at the school gate due to the fire,” the official said.
The non-teaching staff broke window panes in all classrooms to prevent smoke accumulation, the official added. The students were evacuated as soon as the staff noticed the smoke, and school officials said they were therefore not significantly exposed to smoke.
The school, which has around 650 students, was undergoing electrical repair work. “Our in-house electrician was present at the school site to oversee the work, and once he noticed the smoke, he immediately cut the main electricity supply of the school,” the official said.
The school will remain shut until inspection and safety measures are completed.
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