Ranchi, December 5: A fire broke out in Jharkhand's new Vidhan Sabha Bhavan late on Wednesday evening before the start of the new session. Fire in the entire West Wing has caused major damage in four places on the first floor and second floor. The damaged areas include a bank, post office, sitting area for the members of the opposition and the chairman's chamber. All other furnishings, including chair tables, ceilings, kept in the four places were burned to ashes by the fire.
The fire was so much that 10 fire engines were extinguished in three hours. More than 50 firefighters were engaged in extinguishing the fire. The fire broke out at around 7.30 pm. The caretakers first informed the senior officials of Ram Kripal Constructions Private Limited, the company building the assembly, then the Jagannathpur police station and the fire brigade. Officials including company GM also reached there.
To overcome the fire, firemen were extinguishing the fire from inside and on the roof. Firemen climbed to a 30-feet-high roof by putting a ladder and tried to overcome the fire by showering water through the windows. The fire was controlled after about three hours.
The construction company alleges that the fire was not caused by a short circuit. This is a conspiracy. A simultaneous short circuit in four places cannot cause a fire. Where there is a fire, work is going on, anyone can enter.
The new assembly is being constructed by Ram Kripal Construction Private Limited. On receiving information about the fire, the company's GM and other workers and officers immediately reached there. He himself could not know how to fire. Engineers of the construction company also reached there. They too could not understand how and suddenly the fire started in four places simultaneously.