Fire breaks out at North Block, no casualties

A fire broke out in a conference room adjoining union home minister P Chidambaram’s office in North Block on Sunday. No casualty or major damage was reported in the blaze that started on the first floor of the building.

A fire broke out in a conference room adjoining union home minister P Chidambaram’s office in North Block on Sunday. No casualty or major damage was reported in the blaze that started on the first floor of the building.

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The situation was brought under control by the authorities after eight fire engines were rushed to the spot. “A window in a ventilator shaft on the first floor caught fire,” home ministry spokesperson Kuldeep Dhatwalia said.

Fire brigade officials suspect a short circuit could have caused the blaze. Besides Chidambaram’s office, the first floor also houses the offices of minister of state for home Mullapally Ramachandran and minister of state for personnel V Narayansamy. “There was no damage to the ministers’ offices,” said Dushyant Singh, chief security officer in the home ministry.

The fire was detected at 2.20pm. Being a Sunday, not many people were present in the office when the incident took place. Chidambaram and home secretary RK Singh visited the site after the fire was doused. The North Block blaze comes two days after a major fire broke out at the state secretariat in Mumbai in which five people died and many important documents were burnt.