Siliguri, 08th January: Serious concern has been raised over possible damage to important government documents after a fire broke out late Wednesday night at the Siliguri Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) office. The blaze occurred in the magistrate’s office located in Room No. 10 on the third floor of the SDO building at the Vivekananda Bhavan complex.
Local residents noticed smoke emerging from the building and immediately alerted Pradhan Nagar Police Station and the fire department. Two fire engines rushed to the spot and managed to bring the fire under control within around 30 minutes, preventing it from spreading further.
Administrative sources said several electronic devices inside the magistrate’s office were damaged in the fire. There is a strong apprehension that important official documents kept in the room may have been partially or completely destroyed. Some government files are believed to have suffered severe damage.
Senior administrative officials arrived at the scene late at night to review the situation. The incident has added to administrative anxiety as it took place during the ongoing SIR process. Officials stated that a detailed assessment of the extent of damage to documents and other materials will be carried out on Thursday.
Fire officer Dhirendra Kumar Roy said that two fire tenders were dispatched immediately after receiving information about the incident. He confirmed that the fire was brought under control swiftly and that the exact cause of the fire is being investigated.