Fire catches Jammu and Kashmir assembly unawares

A fire broke out in the lobby of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly here on Wednesday, 11 June, causing damage to furniture and old photographs, an official said.

The fire was reported at 9:34 a.m. and was controlled within a few minutes, the official said.

An official of the fire and emergency services department said the cause of the fire was not known immediately.

Preliminary investigation suggested that a short circuit caused the fire in the lobby area of the double-storey legislative assembly, which is housed in the civil secretariat complex, he said.

He said the local fire station at the civil secretariat controlled the fire within a few minutes.

Some old photographs and some furniture items were gutted, he said.