Documents destroyed in fire at WATCO office in Odisha

BERHAMPUR: Uncertainty surrounds a fire occurrence at the WATCO office situated within the public health office premises in Berhampur on Tuesday. The fire is said to have started in a sealed room containing important documents and files. While numerous files were obliterated, office furniture such as cupboards, tables, and even plastic chairs remained undamaged. The fire, thought to have ignited around 3 am, was first spotted by passersby who saw smoke emerging from the room. Upon receiving the information, fire fighters arrived on scene and extinguished the fire. However, WATCO officials turned up several hours after the incident and allegedly restricted journalists from entering the site. The fire's exact origin has not been determined, although an electric short circuit is suspected. WATCO's general manager, Bikash Padhy, announced that an investigation into the fire's cause is ongoing, with efforts underway to discern the types of destroyed documents. Last year, WATCO faced accusations of widespread irregularities, with the AG office identifying multiple discrepancies during their audit. Sanyasi Gouda, a social worker, claimed, "The fire was a deliberate act to conceal these discrepancies by eliminating the relevant documents. A fair inquiry into the incident can reveal the truth."