DUSHANBE, March 31, 2010, Asia-Plus -- A fire that broke out last night in administrative center of Shurobod region of Khatlon District destroyed major part of the local tax inspection office.

Firemen were informed about the accident on March 30 at 2:06, senior lieutenant of the Kulob fire department Saimudasir Rahmatov told the AP.

It took the firemen one hour to drive to Shurobod region, which has no fire department yet, from Kulob using their 13-ton “Ural” vehicle, he said.

“Time loss has seriously affected the firefighting process taking into account the so-called “Finnish” type of the building edged with bricks only from the outside,” he said adding that neither Khovaling nor Baljuvan and Temurmalik regions have their local fire departments.

The fire covered a total of 88 square meters, he said. The damage may exceed 100.000 Somoni since the fire destroyed offices with modern office equipment and documents.

“A special commission has been set up to estimate the damage cased by the fire,” he added.