New Delhi: For over 10 hours, a fire raged in an office of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Mumbai on Sunday (April 27), giving rise to fears that crucial documents related to the investigation of high-profile cases, including those pertaining to absconding businessmen Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi, along with politicians Chhagan Bhujbal and Anil Deshmukh may be lost.

According to sources, the fire, which broke out on early Sunday morning in ED’s Zone-1 office situated in a privately owned building in south Mumbai’s Ballard Estate, could have a severe impact on the agency’s office infrastructure, including computers and office documentation, reported Times of India.

The incident is also expected to affect the questioning of witnesses at ED’s office.

According to the fire brigade, when the fire started around 2.30am, only the canteen staff and security personnel were present in the building.

The fire brigade said the fire was confined to the probe agency's wooden furniture and other office infrastructure. The firefighting operations were hindered due to the furniture placed in the common passage and the balcony.

"We could not enter the premises due to heavy smoke and heat. Besides, the building only has a single staircase as it is old. A large number of papers/documents, besides wooden furniture, fuelled the fire. The attic did not have much ventilation," an official told the newspaper.

The mishap didn’t result in injuries to anyone.

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