Fire at Tirumala DE Office, Partial Damage to Records

Anantapur: A fire broke out in the deputy engineer's office in Annexe Building of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) administrative complex on Saturday. The incident occurred shortly after staff members performed their weekly puja and locked the office before leaving.

TTD chief vigilance and security officer (CVSO) S. Sreedhar reported that the fire was swiftly extinguished by staff with fire extinguishers. “The quick response helped minimize damage to the office,” he said.

Officials suspect the fire may have been caused by a ceremonial lamp ('Deepam') left burning after the room was closed. This is linked to the common practice of performing puja rituals every Saturday in various sections of the building, including TTD offices.

While the fire caused partial damage, Sreedhar confirmed that no significant files were lost. “An inventory is currently underway to assess the full extent of the damage,” he informed.

The affected office houses records of TTD engineering works undertaken in temples across South India. While TTD officials confirmed that some physical documents were burnt in the incident, they assured that all critical records remained secure. The TTD engineering department operates with an e-office system, ensuring that all files and records related to engineering works are stored online and remain safe.

TTD chief engineer Nageswara Rao said all important documents are securely stored in electronic form thanks to TTD's comprehensive e-filing system. Even crucial records like M-books are preserved as e-M Books.

Nageswara Rao further clarified that the documents affected by the fire were mainly under field-level verification, and all critical files are backed up electronically. “The TTD engineering department operates with an e-office system, ensuring that all files and records related to engineering works undertaken in temples across south India remain safe”, Rao stated.

A case has been registered at the Tirupati East police station. Both the police and TTD vigilance and security staff have initiated investigations into the incident.