Fire Breaks Out at Siliguri SDO Office Amid Ongoing Voter List Update
Blaze strikes during critical electoral revision, documents feared destroyed.
A potentially devastating fire erupted late on January 8, 2026 night at the Sub Divisional Officer (SDO) office in Siliguri, West Bengal, coinciding exactly with the intensive Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, raising immediate concerns about the integrity of sensitive voter data and the timing of the incident.
The fire was discovered around 11:30 pm when dense smoke was observed pouring from the building windows, alarming the staff members who were working extended hours to complete the mandated voter list verification and updation process essential for ensuring accurate electoral records ahead of forthcoming elections.
Swift intervention by the West Bengal Fire Brigade department involved dispatching two fully equipped fire tenders to the scene, supported by rapid response teams from the nearby Pradhanagar police station, enabling firefighters to tackle the flames effectively and prevent the blaze from engulfing the entire structure or spreading to adjacent areas.
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The outbreak was successfully contained and extinguished within roughly 30 minutes of detection, demonstrating efficient emergency response, although initial inspections by Darjeeling district officials suggest that a significant quantity of vital documents, forms, and records directly linked to the ongoing electoral roll revision may have suffered irreversible damage from heat, smoke, or water used in firefighting efforts.
Authorities have yet to determine the precise cause, with Siliguri Fire Brigade personnel preliminarily attributing the incident to a probable electrical short circuit originating from the office's computer systems overloaded during prolonged late-night operations, while a thorough forensic investigation is expected to clarify the origin and rule out any foul play in this sensitive government facility.
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