Fire in Kolkata's New Secretariat building

A fire broke out at the New Secretariat building that houses several important government offices in Kolkata on Friday, a West Bengal minister said.

Bo casuality was reported.

"The fire broke out on the seventh floor but has now been controlled. Twentyfive fire tenders were pressed into service. The building was evacuated and there is no report of any casualty," Fire Services Minister Javed Khan said.

The building houses the offices of the panchayat department, transport department, public health and engineering, among others.

Panchayat Minister Subrata Mukherjee, whose office too is in the building, expressed concern over important files getting damaged in the fire.

"Some of the offices, including mine, have been ravaged in the fire. Important documents might have been destroyed," said Mukherjee.

"The fire now has been checked and personnel from the fire services department and disaster management are working at war footing. Things are now under control," Kolkata Mayor Sovan Chatterjee said.