Fire safety arrangements in Gurugram came under scrutiny yet again on Sunday after a massive blaze broke out in the record room section of the Gurugram district courts complex, triggering panic among lawyers and court staff and leading to the partial collapse of a building section during firefighting operations.
According to officials and eyewitnesses, thick smoke and flames were first spotted emerging from the lower court record room early Sunday morning. Lawyers and passers-by alerted the fire brigade and security personnel after noticing smoke billowing out of the building.
Three fire tenders were rushed to the spot and firefighting operations continued for several hours. However, even nearly five hours after the fire erupted, firefighters were struggling to completely bring the blaze under control.
In a dramatic turn during the operation, a portion of the building suddenly collapsed with a loud crash, creating panic inside the court premises. No casualties were reported till the filing of this report, though officials said the exact extent of damage to important court records was yet to be assessed.
Fire brigade officials suspect a short circuit may have triggered the fire, though the exact cause is yet to be confirmed. Authorities said a detailed inspection and assessment of damaged records would only be possible once the fire is fully extinguished.
The incident has once again raised serious concerns over fire safety preparedness in Gurugram, where several recent fires in commercial buildings, factories and public establishments have exposed gaps in emergency response systems and adherence to safety norms.
Police and fire department teams remained deployed at the site while access to parts of the court complex was restricted as a precautionary measure.
