Fire at hydro power project in Koraput, 4 suffer suffocation

Koraput: A fire broke out at Machkund Hydroelectric Project in Koraput district on Saturday, during which four employees got trapped and suffered suffocation, officials said. The fire, which broke out around noon, was extinguished around 4pm.Preliminary reports said the blaze erupted inside the turbine section of the project. A govt statement attributed the fire to bursting of a current transformer, which was being used for supplying power to the local area. Thereafter, connected cables caught fire and flames spread to the power house through the cable gallery, damaging electrical and allied equipment.As per preliminary assessment, restoration work and resumption of power generation may take more than six months.At the time of the incident, all six power generation units were in operation, however, all machines were safely shut down, and all personnel present inside were evacuated safely. No casualty has been reported."Four workers reportedly got trapped and suffered breathing difficulties after dense smoke engulfed the area. They were immediately rescued by fellow staff and emergency responders, and shifted to the community health centre at Lamtaput," an official said, adding the condition of the injured workers is being closely monitored.The 120MW Machkund Hydroelectric Project is one of the major power generation facilities in southern Odisha.The management, operation and administrative control of the power house, however, lies with Andhra Pradesh govt and AP Power Generation Corporation (APGENCO). A detailed assessment of the extent of damage will be carried out by APGENCO, following which necessary repair and replacement works will be undertaken.