Srisailam power plant fire: Rescue efforts in vain as station turns inferno

Thermal imaging cameras, dragon lights & BA cylinders help find victims; primary assessment find short circuit to be the trigger; Oppn parties blame State govt.
Achampet MLA Guvvala Balraj interacts with the relatives of those who died in a fire that broke out at the Srisailam plant.
Achampet MLA Guvvala Balraj interacts with the relatives of those who died in a fire that broke out at the Srisailam plant.

HYDERABAD: The rescue operations on Friday at the underground hydel power station in Srisailam did not yield fruitful results as the nine people who were trapped inside the building could not be brought out alive.

However, the search for the victims and then bringing out the bodies was a tough task as the power station turned into an underground inferno, billowing thick, toxic smoke.

Personnel from the Fire Department, Fire Service Training Institute (FSTI) of the CISF and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) played an important role in the rescue operations.

The FSTI personnel, stationed at the National Industrial Security Academy (NISA) in Hakimpet, were crucial to the operation as they entered the power station and searched for the trapped people amidst the thick smoke.

The CISF had dispatched a 39-member team led by Comdt Siddarth Raha by the orders of NISA Director CV Anand. Speaking to Express, CISF Inspector Jagadish Chandra elaborated on how the operation was taken up and the important role played by the Breathing Apparatus (BA) cylinder, dragon light and thermal imaging cameras.

The Inspector said, “The BA cylinder usually lasts for 45 minutes, but as the oxygen consumption was high due to the smoke and by walking as deep as four floors inside the structure, the oxygen lasted only for 20-22 minutes. We used 26 cylinders throughout the operation. Six teams consisting of two people each went inside. They would go one by one, search for the trapped persons and come out before the oxygen ran out.”

“The dragon light helped in seeing up to two feet even through the dense smoke, and the thermal imaging cameras helped in identifying people through body heat,” he added. He said that the Fire Department personnel from Gadwal and other neighbouring districts played an important role in controlling the raging fire. Gadwal district Fire Officer Sreedas said that fire engines were pressed into service after a call was received by the State Disaster Response & Fire Services at 11.40 pm on Thursday. Several teams of firemen were sent from Kothakotta, Mahbabubnagar, Amarabad, Achampeta, and Atmakur in Kurnool district.

AP extends support
AP Energy Secretary Srikant Nagulapalli on Friday directed officials of Srisailam Right Bank Power House and AP State Load Dispatch Centre (APSLDC) to extend possible help to the TS Left Bank Hydel Station. On learning about the incident, AP Srisailam Right Bank chief engineer arranged ambulances, along with doctors and supporting staff, and alerted nearby hospitals. Officials also arranged search lights, blowers, and cables for the Left Bank Power House.

Major fires at power stns in India
November, 2014: 
A fire broke out in the Uri-2 power station in Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir, five months after it was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
January, 2015: 
A major fire broke at the 120MW Bhaba hydel project, an underground power station, in Himachal Pradesh. It is a State-owned plant
February, 2016: 
A fire broke out in the Sharavathi generating station comprising 10 units, with an installed capacity of 1,035 MW, in Karnataka. Officials rescued 20 people trapped in the plant. A short circuit, reportedly, caused the fire accident
February, 2020: 
An explosion occurred near the 6th generator of the Moolamattom power plant in Kerala. Situated on the Periyar river, it is one of the biggest underground hydroelectric projects
August, 2020: 
9 killed in a major fire accident at the Srisailam hydel power plant

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