Finance Minister clarifies no important physical files were destroyed
PNS|Vijayawada
A fire broke out in Nidhi Bhavan, the office of the State Finance Department, on Wednesday morning. The fire erupted on the second floor of the five-storey building, causing thick smoke to spread rapidly. About 300 employees ran downstairs in panic. Preliminary reports suggest the fire originated from a short circuit in an AC compressor in the personal chamber of the Director of Pay and Accounts, Padmaja.
Firefighters responded promptly and managed to bring the situation under control. They broke windows to let the smoke escape and ensured all personnel were safely evacuated. However, officials noted that the building’s fire safety equipment did not function, contributing to the spread of smoke.
The fire erupted on the second floor of the five-storey building, causing thick smoke to spread rapidly. The incident led to concerns over the safety of crucial data, computers, and documents, especially as the building houses key departments like Treasury, Work Accounts, Pay and Accounts, State Audit, APCFSS, and MAPGLI.
Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav visited the site and reviewed the damage. He clarified that no important physical files were destroyed in the fire. Director Padmaja also confirmed that all important digital data remains safe despite concerns over damaged computers.
District Fire Officer Srinivas Reddy stated that the fire safety systems in the building were non-functional, resulting in the heavy smoke. Employees expressed worry over the potential damage to computers and stressed the importance of the records maintained at the facility, which include payrolls and departmental transactions from across the State.
