CHENNAI: A major fire broke out at the imported coal yard of the North Chennai Thermal Power Station (Stage I) on Monday night. The fire and rescue services personnel from Madhavaram, Manali, Ambattur and nearby areas battled the blaze through the night, bringing the situation under control by Tuesday morning. Officials said power generation at the plant was not affected.
After inspecting the site, Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) chairman and managing director J Radhakrishnan told reporters the initial assessment indicated the damage is less than 5% of the coal stock.
According to officials, the fire is suspected to have been triggered by high temperatures. They said imported coal has a higher calorific value compared to domestic coal and, during summer, the chances of fire accidents are relatively high. Even as no loss of life or injury was reported in the incident, rescue personnel have been instructed to continuously monitor the coal yard for the next three days.
As many as 11 fire engines and 19 water tankers were deployed for fire-fighting operations, and cooling and monitoring activities are continuing.
Radhakrishnan said indigenous coal stock sufficient for 28 days is available, with regular supply from Mahanadi and Singareni collieries supported by a steady pipeline of around 10 ships. In addition, imported coal stock sufficient for 75 days is available.
He said the coordinated efforts of fire services, metro water and field teams helped handle the situation effectively. Continuous vigilance and preventive measures are being maintained, and instructions have been issued to ensure continuous monitoring and strict adherence to safety protocols, he added.