No foul play in Madhya Pradesh's Satpura Bhawan fire, blaze caused loss worth Rs 24 cr

A committee conducting a probe into a major fire last week at a key Madhya Pradesh government building in Bhopal has ruled out any foul play in the incident and estimated the blaze caused a loss worth about Rs 24 crore, an official said on Tuesday.

The blaze erupted following a short-circuit in an air-conditioning unit, said the probe committee which submitted its report to the state government on Monday, the official said.

The fire broke out in the Satpura Bhawan, located in front of the state secretariat here and housing offices of various state government departments, on June 12 afternoon and it was doused the next morning.

The probe panel, comprising the additional chief secretary (home) and other senior government officials, submitted a 287-page report to the state government on Monday, an official release said.

The inquiry committee has said in its conclusion that the fire which broke out on June 12 in the western wing of Satpura Bhawan started from a short-circuit in an air-conditioning unit in a third-floor room of deputy director Virendra Singh, it said.

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The probe committee estimated the fire caused an initial loss of about Rs 24 crore, it said.

"The committee has said in its conclusion that there is no suspicious and mischievous role of any person in this incident intentionally," the release said.

The probe panel also submitted the forensic reports in support of its findings, it added.

The Madhya Pradesh Congress last week alleged corruption and foul play behind the massive fire.

MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah about the fire and sought assistance in dousing it, an official earlier said.

The fire, which affected the third, fourth, fifth and the top sixth floor of the building and the terrace could be seen from various areas of Bhopal. The building is located on a hill in front of the state secretariat, Vallabh Bhawan.

Fire tenders and firefighters from the Army, Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, Airports Authority of India, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, and Mandideep and Raisen were called in, the officials said.