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Major fire in Writers’ Building

Special Correspondent

Fifteen fire-tenders fought the blaze for nearly 40 minutes

Photo: Arunangsu Roy Chowdhury

GUTTED: A section of the Writers’ Building on Thursday after the major fire in the early hours of Thursday.

KOLKATA: A major fire in a section of the third and fourth floors of the Writers’ Buildings — the State Secretariat — early on Thursday morning destroyed documents and files in offices of three departments, including the Fire Services Department.

Fifteen fire tenders were rushed to the area and fire personnel fought the blaze for nearly 40 minutes before it was brought under control. A portion of the building was cordoned off for some time.

Fire personnel said that the cause of the fire could be a short circuit.

Probe panel

The State government has set up an eight-member committee to inquire into the incident and submit its report within a fortnight. Forensic experts were also conducting investigations.

The committee is expected to ascertain the cause of the fire, the extent of the damage and examine shortcomings if any in the existing fire-safety arrangements.

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee visited the affected sections of the building along with the Ministers of the three departments. He later held a meeting with Commissioner of Police Gautam Chakravarty, where the security arrangements at the Secretariat were reviewed.

Offices of the Municipal Affairs and the Refugee, Relief and Rehabilitation departments were the others affected.

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