Srinagar, Jul 11: A major fire broke out in the annexe of the Civil Secretariat, the seat of Jammu and Kashmir government, here today.
Flames and smoke started billowing from the two-storey wooden structure adjacent to the main building of the Civil Secretariat minutes before the scheduled opening of the offices at 9.30 AM, officials said.
The building, which houses among other offices of the Education Department and Medical dispensary, was engulfed in flames within no time, they said.
They said it was not clear whether any employee is trapped in the building even as fire tenders are trying to douse the flames.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the cause of the fire and the extent of the damage, particularly of records stored in the offices at the annexe will take some time to assess.
The annexe houses the offices of technical education, higher education, forest, accounts and treasuries, he said in a Twitter post.
