Faridabad: A fire broke out in the record room of a govt school in Faridabad on Thursday, destroying several documents and damaging furniture and equipment stored inside.The incident took place at Govt Model Sanskriti Senior Secondary School in Nangla Gujran area. Fire department officials said smoke was noticed coming from the record room during school hours, following which they were alerted.Firefighters reached the spot and controlled the blaze before it could spread to classrooms and other parts of the building. No injuries were reported.School authorities said old admission records, students’ transfer certificates, attendance registers, examination-related files, salary records, service books and other administrative documents were destroyed in the fire. Chairs, tables, cupboards and electronic items kept in the room were also damaged.Officials said preliminary investigation suggests the fire may have been caused by a short circuit, though the exact cause is yet to be confirmed. “Most of the material stored in the room consisted of paper files, due to which the fire spread rapidly,” an official said.Officials from the education department visited the school to assess the extent of the damage and verify whether backup copies of the records were available. Staff members were seen sorting through partially burnt files and documents after the fire was brought under control.The incident has raised concerns over fire safety arrangements and the storage of records in govt schools. Residents said schools should conduct regular inspections of electrical wiring and ensure proper fire safety systems are in place. “Important documents should be digitised and stored safely so that such losses can be prevented in future,” a resident said.Authorities said a detailed report on the incident is being prepared, and further investigation is underway.
