The inquiry into the fire near the Home Ministry office in North Block has revealed that the trigger was a lit beedi discarded on a stack of waste paper lying in a corner.

The blaze near the conference room 102,next to the Home Ministers office,was reported on June 26 and eight fire tenders were rushed to the spot.

At the time,police suspected that a short-circuit in an air-conditioner started the fire.

No major damage was reported due to the fire and all official documents,police said,were safe.

The fire accident report,authorised by Assistant Engineer (Electrical Division),CPWD,said: On inspecting the site,cardboards being used as mats,water bottles,cigarette stubs,etc were found.

Also found,immediately above the fire-affected portion,was a place frequented by persons,for sitting and other activities. It seems the fire occurred due to the persons who usually use this place and would have thrown burning beedis or cigarette stubs through the window on the malba/waste paper,etc, the report reads.

The information about the probe report was made available in response to an RTI filed by Tejinder Pal Singh Bagga,president of Bhagat Singh Kranti Sena.

The report says: To access the place where the fire took place,one has to enter from the terrace,which is always locked and is opened twice a day by CISF personnel at the time of hoisting and lowering the national flag.

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