Fire mishap: CM Naidu orders installation of CC cameras at Secretariat

Vijayawada:Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Friday inspected the Block-2 in the AP Secretariat, where a minor fire broke out in the early hours of the day.

Naidu inquired about the cause of the fire and directed officials to set up closed-circuit cameras at all strategic locations and conduct a safety audit in the entire Secretariat premises.

The CM was accompanied by home minister Vangalapudi Anitha, chief secretary K Vijayanand and others.

Later, he also visited the battery room in the Block-1 and also the CMRF wing and expressed displeasure over the poor sanitation there.

Earlier, Anitha inspected the place of fire mishap and made enquiries with the officials. Later, she told the media that around 6.30 am, SPF personnel on the rounds noticed smoke coming out from the battery room and called fire personnel in. “An electric short circuit might be the cause of the fire,” she said, based on preliminary assessments.

She said only the batteries were damaged. “After getting the forensic report, we would know the exact reason for the fire and shall take action. Orders have been issued to all the departments to avoid repeat of such fire mishaps in the Secretariat.”

The Thullur police booked a case based on a report of the fire mishap from SPF constable P Prasad.

Guntur Fire DFO Srinivasa Reddy said, “We rushed there within minutes and used foam spray to put out the fire. We noticed damage to a few batteries in the battery room used for power backup.”