City Bar office fire: A probe has been requested

SHILLONG: A magistrate’s investigation into the fire that occurred at the Shillong Bar Association compound on Saturday night has been ordered by East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner RM Kurbah.
Although a final investigation is still pending, the Fire and Emergency Services (F&ES) preliminary assessment indicates that an electrical short circuit appears to have caused the fire at the Shillong Bar Association office.
East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Rituraj Ravi stated on Sunday, “We have received the preliminary report from the F&ES Department and are awaiting the final report as they are still conducting investigation into how the fire exactly started.”

According to the F&ES evaluation, he stated, there was a power overload and insufficient wiring supporting the electrical equipment in use in the building.
“We are looking at all possible aspects and I will not rule out anything,” Ravi said in response to statements made by certain lawyers, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, that the fire might have started accidentally because an electric heater had been left on.