MP Satpura Bhawan fire: After 13 hours, extinguishing work still on; air force called

Bhopal: A major fire broke out on Monday in Bhopal’s Satpura Bhavan, which houses the offices of various departments of the Madhya Pradesh government. No casualty was reported in the fire as people were evacuated before the fire spread, the official said. “The fire has been brought under control and is now confined to the building. It is not completely doused and efforts are on to douse it completely,” the official said late on Monday night.

The fire broke out on the third floor around 4 pm and spread to the sixth floor. Madhya Pradesh Medical Education Minister Vishwas Sarang told PTI that the fire has been brought under control and efforts are on to douse it completely. The official said the Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter will arrive around 1.20 am and will also be pressed into service if required.

The building houses the offices of various departments of the Government of Madhya Pradesh, due to which officials had to call fire tenders from the Army, AAI and oil companies facilities, officials and the chief minister’s office. An official said Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah about the fire and sought their assistance to douse it.

The official said the Prime Minister has assured Chouhan of all possible help from the Center to control the fire. According to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), Indian Air Force aircraft AN-52 and Mi-15 helicopters will join the night-drowning operation and pour water from above with buckets. The official said that on the instructions of Chouhan, state Home Minister Narottam Mishra and Medical Education Minister reached the spot to take stock of the situation.

The fire, which affected the third, fourth, fifth and top sixth floors of the building and the roof, could be seen from different areas of the city. The affected building is located on a hill opposite Vallabh Bhavan, the state government secretariat. Officials said furniture and documents of several departments were destroyed in the fire.

The Chief Minister’s Office said fire tenders and fire tenders from the Army, Indian Oil Corporation, BPCL, Airports Authority of India, BHEL and Mandideep and Raisen were called in. District Collector Ashish Singh said all resources have been mobilized and around 22 fire tenders and 30-40 tankers are involved in the extinguishing operation so far.

He said the fire spread as many files were stored in the building and the firemen could not enter due to heavy smoke. The density of fire is very high. Singh said that there was no report of any casualty. Bhopal Police Commissioner Harinarayanchari Mishra said, “As per prima facie information and people present on the spot, the fire broke out on the third floor of the building due to short circuit in the air conditioner and spread to other floors due to wind.”

Bhopal Municipal Corporation’s fire officer Ramesh Neel said that the fire broke out around 4 pm. “Furniture and documents are prima facie destroyed in the fire,” he said. Meanwhile, the state government has constituted a committee of senior bureaucrats to probe the possible cause of the fire. The CMO said the panel comprises Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Principal Secretary (Urban Administration), Principal Secretary (PWD) and Additional Director General (Fire).

Arera Hills Station House Officer RK Singh said the fire engulfed furniture and documents of the Tribal Welfare and Health Department located inside the building.