Chandigarh: A fire broke out in the student hall on the first floor of Government College, Derabassi, in the early hours of Wednesday, gutting furniture and items stored inside, officials said. No injuries were reported.A fire tender rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control.According to sources, the student hall had been used by Census staff over the past few days where staff gathered after fieldwork to compile and submit reports. On the night before the fire, the air conditioner in the hall was allegedly left running after the staff vacated the premises and locked the building.Early on Wednesday morning, staff noticed smoke emanating from the hall. When the room was opened, it was found filled with smoke, with furniture already engulfed in flames. Staff members initially tried to control the fire on their own before alerting the fire brigade.Fire officials reached the site shortly after receiving the call and extinguished the blaze within a short time. A preliminary assessment indicated that the fire may have been triggered by a short circuit, possibly linked to the air conditioner being left on overnight.A detailed inquiry to ascertain the exact cause of the fire is underway.
