Fire at Bengal state secretariat, no casualties

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A fire broke out in the West Bengal state secretariat Writers' Buildings on Friday morning, police said. No casualty was reported.

The fire, noticed at around 9.15 a.m. on the third floor of the building, housing the information and cultural affairs department, was doused by three fire tenders after a 65-minute-long effort, a police official said.

"The fire had broken out in the stenographers' room of our department. There was nobody in the office then. The affected room and its surrounding areas have been sealed now," said an information and cultural affairs (I&CA) department official.

The fire was believed to have been caused by an electrical short circuit, police said.

"Many important documents have been destroyed," the I&CA official said.