KARACHI, Jan 7: The committee constituted by the Sindh chief secretary to look into the fire that broke out on the sixth floor of the New Secretariat Building has detected negligence but no wrongdoing.

According to sources, the main reason cited for the incident in the inquiry report is a short-circuit. In the report, it has been recommended that smoke detectors be installed in the building.

The committee has also recommended that fire-fighting equipment be made available and the guards be trained in using them. Lists having important telephone numbers should also be pasted on the notice boards.

The sources said a heater had been found from the site of the incident. "This means that deliberate actions can be ruled out," claimed one of them. Adviser to the Chief Minister on Health, Noman Saigal, told Dawn on Wednesday that he would soon be conducting his own inquiry into the incident. However, he did not disclose the findings of the report already prepared by the committee constituted by the CS.

He said he remained busy throughout the day. "That is why I could not study the report." Mr Saigal said he would be disclosing the contents of the report to the journalists on Thursday.