Chennai, 16 March (H.S.):A devastating fire broke out at the Tamil Nadu Thermal Power Station (TTPS) in Tuticorin on Saturday, forcing the shutdown of three out of five units. The blaze, which raged for over 12 hours, was finally brought under control by a team of 150 fire personnel and 20 fire vehicles.

According to plant authorities, the fire started around 10 pm on Saturday after a station switch gear burst, causing a disturbance in the internal power supply. Units 1 and 3 tripped, and a major fire broke out in the cable gallery of Unit.

District Collector K. Elambahavath visited the site to assess the damage and assured that efforts were underway to completely extinguish the fire. No casualties or injuries were reported, although some firefighters suffered from suffocation.

The fire has affected a 630 MW power supply, with Units 1 to 3 shut down. However, Units 4 and 5 remain operational, and Tamil Nadu Electricity Board officials are working to ensure that the power supply to the grid remains unaffected.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing, and mitigation measures are being taken to prevent such incidents in the future.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary