Visvesvaraya Bhavan fire: Sanitation worker dies

PATNA: A 60-year-old sanitation worker, who was rescued on Wednesday after a massive fire at Visvesvaraya Bhavan, died at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) late in the night due to smoke inhalation.
The victim, Jagdish Prasad, a resident of Chandpur Bela in Phulwarisharif, was working on the fifth floor of the building when the fire broke out. He was evacuated by the police along with other workers and employees.
Patna DM Chandrashehar Singh said Jagdish complained of breathlessness after evacuation. “He was first admitted to Gardanibagh Hospital. The doctors, however, referred him to PMCH where he died late on Wednesday night. According to doctors, Jagdish, an asthma patient, had inhaled thick smoke,” the DM added.
Jagdish’s wife Sakli Devi was given an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh on Thursday. Since he was an outsourced sanitation worker, the private agency concerned has also been asked to provide compensation to the next of the kin of the victim.
Meanwhile, a four-member team of the state fire services on Thursday visited Visvesvaraya Bhavan to find out the reason behind the fire and assess losses caused by it. The building will remain closed for everyone till the further orders.
Shobha Ahotkar, director general (DG) of home guard and fire services, said an eight-member committee comprising retired fire services officers, technical expert, engineer and fire brigade officers has been constituted to probe the incident. “Four members of the committee visited the spot on Thursday and took samples of wires and cables to ascertain whether the fire was caused by a short circuit or any other reason. The team is probing the case from all angles,” she added.
A team of disaster management department also visited the spot on Thursday. Government offices housed on the fifth and sixth floors of the building were badly damaged in the fire.