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Delhi Museum fire: Javadekar orders fire audit of all museums across the country

by IBNS 26 Apr 2016, 06:53 am

New Delhi, Apr 26 (IBNS) As fire devoured the National Museum of Natural History in the capital on Tuesday morning, Prakash Javadekar, MOS Environment, Forests and Climate Change, ordered a fire audit of all museum across the nation, reports said.

Javadekar was quoted in the media as saying, "”I have ordered an energy and fire audit of all our establishments all over the country because we have 34 museums, ZSI and BSI, all put together. We will take care that such incidents don’t happen."

Terming the incident as tragic, the minister said that he and his team will access the situation and take note of things.

"This incident is very tragic. The Natural History Museum is a national treasure. I have talked to the fire officials and they are present at the site. We will see and access the loss that has taken place."

He also said that the government has certain limitations as the property is rented and do not belong to the government.

"See, the issue is that it is a rented property. It is not our ministry’s property and it is a FICCI property and therefore we have limitations. This is a real loss and we will access the loss when the building is handed over to us. After that we will see how the recovery plan can be made."

According to reports, the fire broke out around 1.45 a.m. and quickly spread to all other floors. 

It took 35 fire engines to douse the fire. The fire was brought under control around 5 a.m. and completely doused by 7 a.m., reports said.

According to local reports, the building was under renovation. Those inside the building were evacuated.

According to the fire department, six of its officials have been injured and two of them are in critical condition.

The FICCI Auditorium and FICCI Headquarters are safe reported local officials.

According to the Museum' website, the NMNH opened its doors to the public in a rented building in Mandi house on June 5, 1978, coinciding symbolically with the World Environment Day.

The Museum is under the central Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change.