MP: Fire alarm didn’t go off, firefighters reached late, says Additional Director of Health department

On Tuesday, Mallika Nigam Nagar, the Additional Director of the Health Department, revealed that the fire alarm did not activate when a fire broke out at Satpura Bhawan, and there was also a delay in the arrival of firefighters at the scene.

The fire initially started on the third floor of Satpura Bhawan on Monday evening but eventually spread up to the sixth floor of the building. Nagar, explained, “The fire alarm did not activate. As soon as we received information about the fire in the building, we immediately evacuated people from all floors and simultaneously informed the fire brigade. However, there was a delay in the arrival of the firefighters. Two fire brigades reached the spot but ran out of water. Additional water arrangements were made, but by then, an hour had passed and three to four rooms were already engulfed in flames.”

Efforts were made to control the fire and prevent further spread, but it continued to escalate, reaching the sixth floor. Nagar mentioned that fire extinguishers were used when the fire initially broke out on the third floor, but due to the intensity of the blaze, it could not be extinguished.

Regarding the malfunctioning fire alarm, Nagar stated, “It is currently under investigation. The inquiry committee is looking into it, and their findings will reveal the actual reasons.”

She further explained the efforts being made to recover the damaged files and documents from the incident. As most records are now available in the online system, they are attempting to retrieve them. They have already recovered 20 to 30 percent of the documents, with the team working on recovering the remainder. Every burned document will be examined, and recovery efforts will be made.

In response to the incident, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan instructed the formation of a committee to investigate. The committee, including Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Rajesh Rajora, visited the scene, collected samples, and assessed the damage. The forensic team and electrical safety team also accompanied them. The team is still working, and after three days, they will submit their report to the government, including statements from witnesses.