A massive fire engulfed the record room of the Gurugram district court complex on Wednesday, destroying a large number of important documents and records. The fire broke out in the afternoon, and several fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the flames. No casualties were reported in the incident.
Fire Incident Details
The blaze started in the record room located on the first floor of the court building. According to officials, the fire spread rapidly due to the presence of old papers and files. Firefighters struggled for over two hours to bring the situation under control. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, and an investigation has been ordered.
Response and Aftermath
Upon receiving the alert, multiple fire engines from nearby stations arrived at the scene. The police cordoned off the area to facilitate rescue operations. Thick black smoke billowed from the building, causing panic among lawyers and litigants present in the complex. Fortunately, everyone was evacuated safely.
The record room contained decades-old case files, land records, and other legal documents. The loss of these records is expected to cause significant inconvenience to ongoing cases and legal proceedings. Officials are assessing the extent of damage and are exploring ways to retrieve digital backups if available.
Previous Incidents
This is not the first time that the Gurugram district court has witnessed a fire. In 2019, a minor fire had broken out in the same building, but it was quickly controlled. The recurring incidents have raised questions about the safety measures in place at the court complex.
Investigation and Safety Measures
The district administration has formed a committee to investigate the cause of the fire. It will also review the fire safety protocols and suggest improvements to prevent such incidents in the future. The committee is expected to submit its report within a week.
Impact on Legal Work
Lawyers and litigants have expressed concern over the destruction of records. Senior advocate R.S. Sharma said, "Many important case files have been reduced to ashes. This will delay the disposal of cases." The court administration has assured that efforts will be made to reconstruct the lost records through secondary sources.
Meanwhile, the police have registered a case of fire and are investigating whether it was accidental or a result of negligence. Security has been tightened in the court premises to prevent any untoward incident.
