Nine people died in a fire mishap in the Srisailam hydroelectric plant on the Telangana-Andhra Pradesh border on Friday, a senior government official said.
IMAGE: Employees use a fire extinguisher as they attempt to douse a fire at Srisailam Left Bank Power Station in Kurnool district. Photograph: PTI Photo
Six bodies have been recovered by rescue teams so far and efforts were on to pull out the others from the underground plant, Nagarkurnool District Collector L Sharman said.
The fire broke out late on Thursday night when at least 17 people were inside the plant and eight of them managed to come out, officials said.
While Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao was monitoring the rescue work through his cabinet colleague, Union Minister of State for Home, Kishan Reddy, said he has asked the National Disaster Response Force to join the rescue efforts.
A police official said six persons have been admitted to local hospitals for treatment for suffocation.
Built on river Krishna, the Srisailam Left Bank power station, about 200 km from Hyderabad, is operated by the Telangana State Power Generation Corporation.
The plant has six units with combined capacity of 900 MW (6X150).
The power generation was in full swing following the incessant rains during the past few days.
Power generation has been suspended following the fire mishap.
IMAGE: Employees of Telangana state power generation corporation being treated at a hospital after surviving a fire at Srisailam Left Bank Power Station. Photograph: PTI Photo
The fire has been brought under control but thick smoke engulfed the underground area of the powerhouse making rescue operations difficult, officials said.
Two of the nine who are trapped belong to a private firm that maintains batteries, officials said.
The plant is located in a 1 km long tunnel and the fire is suspected to have broke out at the service bay area in the Main Control Room, a fire department official said.
Chief Minister Rao expressed shock over the accident.
“The CM is eliciting information on the accident on a regular basis. The CM wants all those who are trapped in the plant to come out safely,” a press release from his office said.
Kishan Reddy said he spoke to the NDRF personnel and directed them to immediately get involved in rescue operations.
“Saddened by the fire accident in the Hydel Power Generation Unit on the left banks of Srisailam, Telangana, late night. Spoke to the NDRF personnel and directed them for immediate rescue operations. Prayers for early recovery of the injured” he said in a statement.
