Indian Air Force to aid in dousing of massive Bhopal building fire; PM Modi pledges 'all possible assistance'
Bhopal building fire
In India's central state of Madhya Pradesh, a massive fire has been burning for over 15 hours. To put out the blaze in Satpura Bhawan, a multi-storied building housing various government offices in Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has been called in.
The affected building, as per PTI, is located on a hill in front of the Madhya Pradesh State government secretariat, Vallabh Bhawan.
Indian Air Force and the massive Bhopal building fire
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has reached out to the Indian Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, seeking support from the IAF.
A special IAF aircraft will fly to Bhopal to help douse the fire.
The Indian Defence Minister has directed the Indian Air Force to make use of AN-32 aircraft and MI-15 choppers. They've been instructed to reach Bhopal tonight.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also been apprised of the situation,he has assured CM Chouhan of all possible assistance from the Centre for controlling the blaze.
Talking to PTI, Madhya Pradesh Medical Education Minister Vishvas Sarang said that the IAF aircraft would be reaching around 1.20 AM.
Citing the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), the news agency reports that they would try to extinguish the fire by pouring water using buckets from above.
How did the blaze start?
Quoting Bhopal Police Commissioner Harinarayanchari Mishra, PTI reports that based on prima facie evidence it is believed to be set off by ashort circuit in an air conditioner on the third floor of the building.
"As per prima facie information and people present at the spot informed that the blaze erupted on the third floor of the building due to a short circuit in an air conditioner and raged to other floors due to wind."
The damage
No casualties have been reported. However, as per officials, the fire destroyed furniture and documents in several departments located in the building.
The fire which started on the building's third floor around 4 pm quickly spread up to the sixth floor.
As per District Collector Ashish Singh, the many files stored in the various offices helped the fire spread. The blaze has affected the third, fourth, fifth and the top sixth floors of the building.
"The fire is under control and is now confined to the building. It is not completely doused and efforts are on to completely douse it," one officer told the news agency.
Fire tenders and firefighters from the Army, Indian Oil Corporation, BPCL, Airports Authority of India, BHEL, and from Mandideep and Raisen are already pitching in to try and douse the fire, said the Chief Minister's Office said. Around 22 fire tenders and 30-40 tankers are involved in the dousing operation.
(With inputs from agencies)
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