Several offices gutted as fire breaks out at Duncan House

Several workplaces were damaged when a fire broke at Duncan House on Fairlie Place in the early hours of Tuesday. Fifteen fire tenders fought the blaze for nearly two hours, before bringing it under control. No casualties were reported. The cause of fire and the extent of damage are yet to be ascertained. Preliminary investigation said that electrical short circuit could have been the cause of the fire. Security personnel saw fire in one of the rooms on the ground floor around 4.15 am and they immediately informed the fire brigade. By the time fire brigade personnel – along with the disaster management team – reached the spot, the fire had spread to several rooms on the first floor. The operation lasted for almost two hours.

A senior official of the Fire and Emergency Services department said that furniture and electrical wirings in some offices situated on the ground and first floors were damaged. A major accident had been averted as the incident broke out early in the morning. Duncan House is a major location in the city and houses many offices of private firms. The Fire and Emergency Services department sent notices to their owners.