Daijiworld Media Network - Patna

Patna, Aug 1: A major fire broke out on Saturday morning at the office of Judicial Magistrate (First Class) Kiran Kumari inside the court complex in Bihar's Munger district, destroying several important case files, legal documents and old records.

According to court staff, the fire broke out at around 9.50 am, shortly before court proceedings were scheduled to begin. As no employees or officials were present inside the office at the time, no casualties were reported.

On receiving the alert, the fire department rushed two fire tenders to the spot. Firefighters battled the blaze for nearly an hour before bringing it completely under control.

The incident triggered panic in the court complex, with court staff, police personnel and lawyers gathering at the site after news of the fire spread.

Preliminary findings suggest that the blaze may have been caused by a short circuit. However, officials have launched a detailed investigation to ascertain the exact cause.

The court administration has begun assessing the extent of the damage and is preparing an inventory of the files and documents destroyed in the fire.

As part of the probe, a technical inspection of the electrical wiring and cables is being carried out across the court complex, including courtrooms, judicial halls, judges' chambers, the cafeteria and other key areas, to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Authorities are also examining other possible causes of the fire and identifying persons who were present in or around the area at the time of the incident.

While there was no loss of life, the destruction of court records has raised concerns over the preservation and possible reconstruction of important case-related documents.

Following the incident, all cases listed for hearing on Saturday have been postponed. Fresh dates for the hearings are expected to be announced soon.