1st LD Writethru: Fire breaks out at India's space research center in Gujarat

NEW DELHI, May 3 (Xinhua) -- A fire broke out at the center of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Thursday located in the western state of Gujarat, officials said.

There were no reports of any casualty in the fire.

The fire broke out at the center's machinery department in Ahmedabad, about 25 km south of Gandhinagar, the capital city of Gujarat.

"A major fire broke out at the space applications center of ISRO," a fire department official in Ahmedabad said. "No casualty has taken place and firefighting operation is underway."

According to officials over two dozen fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the fire and contain it.

Officials suspect short circuit as the reason behind the fire.

Chances of fire in Indian buildings are often high as owners usually ignore safety standards vis-a-vis fire. Enditem