QUETTA: The committee assigned to investigate the last month’s blaze that damaged several classrooms and offices of Post-Graduate Degree Science College Quetta on Monday declared that a short circuit had caused the fire.

Additional Secretary Colleges Jahanzeb Mandokhail headed the inquiry committee formed on the orders of Provincial Education Minister Raheela Hameed Khan Durrani.

Speaking at a joint press conference, Mr Mandokhail, Deputy Commissioner Quetta Saad bin Asad and Principal of Science College Mohammad Azmat presented the inquiry report and said that college record remained safe in the incident.

According to the report submitted to the provincial government, the fire broke out between 2am and 2:30am on Aug 31 and the college watchman alerted the police about it.

Inquiry report says UPS battery triggered fire

The fire brigade arrived at the scene within 15 minutes of the alert and managed to control the fire by around 6:30am.

The fire destroyed one office and partially damaged three others, also burning doors to various classrooms.

The committee after a thorough examination concluded that the fire was caused by a short circuit, specifically due to a UPS battery and some other equipment in the IT office.

The committee included officers from the Counter-Terrorism Department of the police and education department. After reviewing evidence, it was determined that the fire started due to a UPS in the vice principal’s office.

According to the report, the watchman was on duty outside the college premises which delayed the detection of fire.

The deputy commissioner said the committee had recommended that the watchman be deployed within the college premises.

They said that renovation work at the college would be completed by the end of October.

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2024