Medicines worth lakhs of rupees got destroyed in a major fire which broke out at the drug store of the Government Medical College (GMC) hospital, officials said on February 18.

The fire broke out in the drug store building of the hospital around 9 pm on February 17 and was put off after a hectic joint effort by the fire and emergency services personnel, the CRPF and local police, they said. The officials said eight fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the flames.

The cause of the fire is being ascertained, they said. Meanwhile, a CRPF spokesman said alertness of the CRPF guards ensured timely response to the fire after the jawans on duty noticed smoke coming out of the drug store building. The CRPF personnel immediately rushed to the scene and informed the matter to the hospital authorities, the spokesman said.

He said the CRPF troops, along with the fire brigade staff, broke the windows and tried to retrieve the important logistics and started extinguishing the fire. "The joint dousing operation of the CRPF and the fire brigade continued throughout the night and the fire was finally doused completely after a night-long operation," he said.