Part of Chepauk Palace Gutted

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  Fire service personnel putting out the fire that engulfed a portion Humayun Mahal (R), a part of Chepauk Palace, on Saturday | (R Satish Babu/EPS)

CHENNAI: A portion of the 150-year-old Humayun Mahal - part of the Chepauk Palace - was ravaged by fire that broke out on Saturday afternoon. The building was in disuse ever since the Department of Agriculture, which housed its Information Unit press there, vacated it in 2007.  While the department moved out, it left back some machinery and paper waste in the ground and the floor above.

Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services (TNFRS) sources said the fire started around 12.15 pm and the distress call landed at the control at 12.29 pm. Two fire tenders from Triplicane, one each from Mylapore, Teynampet, Vepery, Egmore and Royapuram were pressed into the service. The fire was completely put out after 90 minutes. Since the agriculture department had already moved out, the building had no power supply, and so the short-circuit angle was ruled out. (Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services) TNFRS officials suspect that outside elements could have been using the structure for anti-social activities, including binge sessions without coming under the police radar.

“We suspect someone in an inebriated condition would have thrown a lit beedi or cigarette without stubbing it, triggering the fire,” the official said.

“We have asked the police to find out the actual cause of the fire. The damage was minimal since only the unused and unwanted machinery were stored in that building,” the official added.

On September 19, 2013, a 500 sq ft roof of a building once used by the Women’s Commission had collapsed. On January 16, 2012, Kalas Mahal was ravaged by the fire in which a fireman was also killed.

Express News Service

Published: 27th July 2014 07:33 AM