[WATCH] Fire breaks out at Castille reception area

The police have confirmed that a fire broke out at the Prime Minister's Office at Castille, Valletta. The fire was caused by a short circuit in a room adjacent to the reception desk and waiting room on the ground floor.

In a statement, the Office of the Prime Minister said the preliminary investigations pointed towards an "accidental short circuit".

"The fire was immediately controlled by members of the CPD. No one was injured. A magisterial inquiry will be held as Castille is government's property," the OPM said.

Paramedics, members of the Civil Protection Department and the police rushed on site to assist the operations and control the blaze. The blaze was controlled within minutes.

Although the police said it was too early to identify the cause and the extent of the damage caused by the fire, first indications show that the fire was caused by a short circuit in the reception area on the ground floor. Although the reception area was badly damaged, nobody was injured and the building was evacuated.

Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera is leading the investigations. Police Commissioner Peter Paul Zammit was present on site.