2:21 pm: WB Disaster Management Minister Javed Khan said, "it is heard that the fire broke out from an air condition machine". The firefighters are trying to bring the fire under control.
Update 12:20 pm: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Disaster Management Minister Javed Khand are on their way to New Secretariat Building. Police Commissioner Surajit Kar Purkayastha and Minister Subrata Mukherjee have already reached the spot.
A fire broke out in Kolkata's government office – New Secretariat Building – on Friday morning.
The fire started at around 10:30 am on the top floor of the 10 storey building of the New Secretariat. At least 20 fire engines have been rushed to the spot to control the fire, according to TV news reports. Disaster management teams have also been rushed.
Fire breaks out at New Secretariat Building in Kolkata; 20 fire tenders rush to spot. pic.twitter.com/nY5QadEGiX
— ANI (@ANI_news) April 10, 2015
The firefighters said that they have evacuated the state government's building, which has now been engulfed in smoke. The New Secretariat houses offices of Panchayat and Public Health Engineering Minister Subrata Mukherjee, Anti-Corruption Bureau and many others.
They are trying to prevent the fire from spreading and as a precautionary measure electricity supply in the building has been cut off, according to Kolkata 24X7 report.
The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
More details awaited.
