35 fire fighters battled the flames for hours; seven were taken to hospital suffering smoke inhalation; two are reported in critical condition.
The fire broke out at around 1.45 am on the top floor of the building that houses the museum, and quickly spread to all 6 floors
A part of it also spread to another building in the complex - the FICCI Auditorium - which has not been damaged much.
The sprinklers and water pumps in the building failed to work; the fire was finally extinguished this morning at 5 am.
The museum functions under the Ministry of Environment and Forests. Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar visited the site this morning and said, "This is tragic, the museum is a national treasure. The loss cannot be quantified." He has ordered a fire audit of all 34 museums across the country.
He also said the building belonged to the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry or FICCI, and added, "They should conduct fire audit in order to restore damaged properties."
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