Archive · 11 Aug 2026
Fire in Gujarat Secretariat basement damages records, digital files safe
A fire started in the basement of a big government building in Gandhinagar, India, called Sardar Bhavan.
The basement is where the government keeps its old paper records.
Firefighters quickly arrived and put the fire out.
Nobody was hurt.
Some of the paper documents got a little damaged.
But the government had already scanned many of its important papers and saved them on computers.
Because of this digital backup, the important records stayed safe.
The government offices will keep working just like before.
The cause of the fire has not been announced yet.
A fire broke out in the basement of Block No. 9 at Sardar Bhavan in Gujarat's New Secretariat complex in Gandhinagar.
The fire, confined to the basement where physical government records were stored, damaged some records before being brought under control.
No casualties or injuries were reported, and the state government said the situation had returned to normal.
Block No. 9 houses the Narmada, Water Resources, Water Supply and Kalpsar Department, the Women and Child Development Department, and the State Election Commission.
Officials said digitally preserved records under the e-Sarkar system remained secure, with no loss of important, sensitive, or confidential records from the Water Resources Division.
- Who
- The Gujarat state government, including the Narmada, Water Resources, Water Supply and Kalpsar Department, the Women and Child Development Department, and the State Election Commission.
- What
- A fire broke out in the basement of Block No. 9 at Sardar Bhavan, damaging some physical government records while digital records remained secure.
- When
- On Monday, as reported in the article.
- Where
- Basement of Block No. 9, Sardar Bhavan, New Secretariat complex, Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
- Why
- The cause of the fire has not been stated by the government; the incident affected the basement area where physical records were stored.
- Location
- Basement of Block No. 9, Sardar Bhavan, New Secretariat, Gandhinagar
- Casualties
- None reported
- Departments in Block No. 9
- Narmada, Water Resources, Water Supply and Kalpsar; Women and Child Development; State Election Commission
- Physical Records Damage
- Partial damage to some records; no loss of important, sensitive or confidential records per Water Resources Division
- Digital Records
- Secure via the e-Sarkar system under the 'Good Governance' initiative
- Administrative Impact
- None; citizen services and office functioning continue uninterrupted
- Cause of Fire
- Not stated so far