Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Nearly 40 hours after massive fire engulfed Satpura Bhawan, fire brigade was called twice to douse the smouldering almirahs on the fourth and sixth floor of Satpura Bhawan on Wednesday.
The entire premise of the building is filled with the stench of burnt papers, plastic and furniture. The cops on duty are finding it difficult to breathe.
“ The smoke was emanating from the almirahs on the fourth and sixth floor of the building. The fire fighters broke open the almirahs using iron rods and thereafter doused the billowing smoke,” a cop deployed at Satpura Bhawan said.
A senior member of the probe committee - constituted by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan – told Free Press that offices on the affected floors have water everywhere. “The water is still up to a few inches in most of the affected rooms of the building. The burnt documents are drenched as firefighters had used water to douse the fire.” “Fire spread rapidly due to a false ceiling and wood works in the offices,” he added. Even as fire has been totally controlled, at least four to five fire brigades are stationed on the premises of Satpura Bhawan.
A few cops are guarding the building. An eerie silence prevails at Satpura Bhawan which once buzzed with the clamour of thousands of officials and visitors.
Visitors come looking for officials
Unaware that the offices situated at Satpura Bhawan have been closed for two days in the wake of the massive fire, a private college student came on Wednesday to meet officials here over his scholarship. He was surprised to see the empty building and was seen inquiring where he could meet the officials.
On Tuesday as well, two girls from Ujjain had come to Satpura Bhawan to meet the officials of directorate, medical education in connection with their migration certificate. They were seen running from pillar to post to contact the officials concerned to get the certificate.
