The building, one of the finest examples of the hill architecture dated back to 1902, was property of Sir J.L.Walker, a British banker. Initially a hospital for the British people, the building was housing an expanded 100-bed military hospital since 1954. This was the first major fire incident of the winter months in the town - which has lost many heritage buildings in fires during the last some years.

About 20-indoor patients in the hospital, including half a dozen serious ones, were, however, saved by the staff with the help of some senior military officials. The total loss, which also included valuable equipments, medicines and store items was estimated to be Rs. 10 crore. The cost of the building lone was estimated to be Rs. 3 crore. Three persons sustained minor burns while evacuating serious patients from the wards.

Manju Manchanda, commanding officer of the hospital told reporters this morning that an inquiry into the cause of the fire had already been ordered and senior military officials from the Western Command were reaching here for this. All patients, who were evacuated from the hospital, immediately after fire had engulfed the building, would now be shifted to branch hospital at Jutogh, near here.

The fire, according to eyewitnesses started from the main power control panel at 1.55 a.m. and quickly spread through the building. Since the entire building was a dry-wooden complex, the fire took just 15 minutes to bring the whole monumental structure to the grounds. Senior fire-brigade officials admit that the fire took no time to reduce the building to the ashes. ``Only thing, which we could do was to save the peripheral residential buildings, mess and the nursing hostel. Chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal visited the site this morning.

Deputy Commissiner Ram Subhag Singh, who had reached the spot, immediately on receipt of the information, has said he has ordered a magisterial inquiry. Additional district magistrate would be the inquiry officer and would submit his report within 30 days.

Preliminary inquiries reveal that the fire was caused by the short-circutting at the main power panel. Jagan Nath Koona, a watch-guard on duty was the first to notice the fire and he raised the alarm. The fire brigade was informed besides other military officials, who immediately swung into action to save the patients.Senior military official Surinder Singh, who was among the rescuer teams, said some of the patients themselves moved out while others were lifted. ``Had the evacuation operation not been over within five to 10 minutes, casualties would definitely been there,'' says an army jawan.

Some of the equipments like X-ray machines, ultra-sound machines, operation theatre, store, eye department equipments and laboratory have suffered a total loss. Equipments worth Rs. 30 lakh were added to the hospital only a few days back. Two vehicles of the hospital were also damaged.