A double-storey block of a Government school in Banjar town of Kullu district was gutted when a fire broke out Saturday morning, police said.
However, no one was injured as the school is yet to resume classes for the next session. The loss to property has been estimated at about Rs 11 lakh, Kullu SP Padam Chand said.
The fire was noticed by a school teacher around 9.30 AM and the timber building of Government High School, Manglor, was engulfed in flames within no time, he said.
Fire tenders were rushed to the spot from Banjar and the blaze was brought under control in two hours, preventing it from spreading to adjoining blocks, he said.
District administration officials rushed to the spot and Himachal Pradesh Ayurveda Minister Karan Singh, who is also the local MlA, took stock of the situation, a district official said. The minister assured that a new building would be constructed soon, he said.
The exact cause of fire is yet to be ascertained but eye-witnesses said the cause of fire was a short circuit.A probe is on to ascertain the cause of fire, Deputy Commissioner Hans Raj said.