Short circuit possible cause of fire at Naval Dockyard

A high-level investigation has been instituted through a Board of Inquiry to ascertain the extent of damage and pin-point the exact cause of the fire which within a span of minutes engulfed the first and second floor of the office housing sections dealing with the functioning of the Mumbai Naval Dockyard equipment, maintenance files of the warships and submarines anchored at the Mumbai bay.

Giving details of the fire, defence spokesperson in an official communique on Friday said: “Being a heritage structure well over a hundred years old, the office complex was constructed with a preponderance of wooden beams, struts and architectural support-members.
Consequently, the fire spread rapidly and extensively throughout the upper floor of the building, consisting of office spaces and conference rooms.”

The spokesperson said the blaze, that sparked off around 5 pm, was brought under control around 9 pm and the Mumbai fire brigade and Airports Authority of India also rushed their fire fighting equipment to douse the flames which were spreading in the building at an alarming pace.