Major fire broke out on the fourth floor of the Mantralaya building which houses the state secretariat

How it unfolded

The fire was sparked off by a short circuit on the fourth floor, which was detected around 2.40 pm. Owing to a malfunctioning fire alarm system, bureaucrats and visitors on this floor were oblivious of the intensity of the fire till long after it had broken out. They remained inside the building and many were eventually stranded on windows and parapets of the buildings till fire-fighting snorkels rescued them.u00a0

1.The CM’s chamber and some of his offices were incinerated on the sixth floor.u00a0

2. As news of the fire spread through the building, staffers and visitors started rushing out. The fire brigade had to rescue those who were stranded in the top floors of the building.u00a0Graphic/Amit Bandre

3.u00a0Six workers who hoist and bring down the flag every day protected the tricolour till they received instructions. After a two-hour wait, they brought it down safely.

4.u00a0Naval helicopters joined the rescue operations. The Navy sent a message through the media that those trapped inside the building should climb to the roof if they could, so that they could be airlifted.

Timeline

2:46 pm
A fire is reported at Mantralaya’s fourth floor. Almost immediately three fire engines, two water tankers, one ambulance and a breathing van reach the spot

2:50 pm
The fire brigade reaches the spot

2:54 pm
Level one fire state declared; three more fire engines, two water tankers, one ambulance, one breathing van, a fire brigade officer, deputy fire brigade office reach the spot

3:00 pm
Level two fire state declared; eight fire engines, two water tankers, one ambulance and an additional breathing van is called in

4:03 pm
A fire alert is sent out to all fire stations and 21 fire engines, 11 water tankers, five ambulances including 2 EMS and five special medical equipment are called in

4:45 pm
Other fire stations are called in. Injuries reported — eight injured are taken to St George’s Hospital, three to JJ hospital, and two to Nair hospitalu00a0

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