Air Force Called In To Put Off Huge Bhopal Building Fire, PM Assures Help

Bhopal:

A massive fire has been on for over 15 hours in the multi-storied Satpura Bhawan — one of the buildings housing various government offices in Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has dialled defence minister Rajnath Singh, seeking support from the Indian Air Force to douse the blaze. Special IAF aircraft will fly to Bhopal tonight to help douse the fire.

Mr Chauhan has also dialled Prime Minister Narendra Modi and briefed him about the fire and the ongoing rescue operations. PM Modi assured the Chief Minister of all possible help from the Centre.

The building was evacuated in time and no one was injured.

Sources said the fire started around 4 pm from the third floor of the government building, housing the regional office of Tribal Welfare Department. From the third floor, the fire had spread fast to three upper floors. As the raging inferno came in contact with air conditioners and some gas cylinders, there were multiple blasts.

Sources said all the offices located there bore the brunt of the fire, including the health department office, where files have been destroyed.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has directed the Air Force to use AN-32 aircraft and MI-15 choppers to reach Bhopal tonight. Sources said they would try to extinguish the fire by pouring water from the top of the Satpura building with buckets.

The Chief Minister is monitoring the progress of the fire-fighting operations. He has also formed a probe panel, comprising Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Principal Secretary (Urban Development), Principal Secretary (PWD) and ADG (Fire) to look into the cause of the fire.

Government sources said three departments were housed on the affected floors of Satpura building — Tribal Welfare Department, Transport Department and the Health Department.