CGO complex fire: Important files feared destroyed; 1 CISF sub-inspector killed
New Delhi: A fire broke out Wednesday at the office of the Ministry of Social Justice in South Delhi's CGO complex, causing the death of a CISF sub-inspector and sparking fears that several important files and documents may have been destroyed.
The fire broke out on the fifth floor of the 11-storey Pandit Deendayal Antyodaya Bhawan that houses the office of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities and other important government offices.
CISF Sub-Inspector M P Godara had fallen unconscious after inhaling toxic gases when he went to take stock of the situation. He was taken to AIIMS, where he died, officials said.
According to a ministry official, 80 per cent of the entire B1 wing has been gutted and several files and documents have been destroyed.
"However, at this moment, it cannot be said that how much has been the damage but surely several files and documents may have been destroyed in the fire. We are not allowed to enter inside as it is sealed. An assessment can only be done once we go inside and check," the official said.
The fire department got a call regarding the blaze at 8:34 am. Twenty-five tenders were rushed to the spot, the Delhi Fire Service Department officials said.
The flames have been contained and the cooling process is underway, Chief Fire Officer Atul Garg said, adding that the cause of the blaze is yet to be ascertained.
Offices of the Drinking Water and Sanitation Ministry, Forest Ministry and a branch of the Indian Air Force are located in the Pandit Deendayal Antyodaya Bhawan, previously known as Paryavaran Bhawan.
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Air India's A350 aircraft enroute to London faces tech issue; returns to Delhi
New Delhi (PTI): Air India's A350 aircraft enroute to London Heathrow returned to the national capital due to a technical issue on Thursday afternoon after being airborne for nearly seven hours.
The same A350-900 aircraft VT-JRF had faced a technical issue on March 15, following which the plane operating the flight from New York to Delhi was diverted to the Irish town of Shannon, sources said.
An Air India spokesperson said its flight AI111, operating from Delhi to London on Thursday, made a precautionary air-return to the national capital following a suspected technical issue.
"The aircraft landed safely and consistent with Air India's high safety standards, it is currently subject to extensive technical evaluations, which will require additional time to complete," the spokesperson said in a statement.
According to the sources, noises were heard in the aircraft following which it was diverted.
The spokesperson also regretted the inconvenience caused to the passengers due to the unforeseen situation and said the airline was making every effort to ensure passengers are able to continue their journey to London at the earliest.
Details about the number of passengers onboard could not be ascertained.
The aircraft operating the flight AI111 was airborne for around four hours before the decision was taken to divert the plane when it was in the Saudi Arabia airspace. In total, the plane was airborne for nearly seven hours before landing back in the national capital, as per information available on flight tracking website Flightradar24.com.
The flight had taken off from Delhi around 6 am on Thursday and landed back at about 12.30 pm.
Air India started operating A350-900 planes from January 2024.
