Srisailam power plant fire: PM Modi, Amit Shah express grief as death toll reaches 9

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah expressed their grief over the Srisailam hydroelectric plant fire that claimed at least nine lives and injured a few others.

All nine trapped inside the Left Bank Power House in Srisailam after a fire broke out late Thursday night were killed, Telangana State Power Generation Corporation Limited said on Friday. Of nine bodies recovered, three were identified as assistant engineers — Sundar Naik, Mohan Kumar, and Fathima.

"My thoughts are with the bereaved families. I hope those injured recover at the earliest," PM Modi said.

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CM orders CID probe

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has ordered a comprehensive enquiry by Crime Investigation Department (CID) into the cause of the accident. He expressed anguish over the loss of lives in the Srisailam power station fire. Describing it as unfortunate, KCR said all the efforts were made to rescue the trapped engineers and bring them out alive, but in vain. He expressed his deep condolences to the bereaved families.

State Power Minister G Jagadeeshwar Reddy, who rushed to the spot along with top TSGenco officials, told reporters that the fire erupted possibly due to short circuit in the electric panels of the powerhouse and it spread to other parts of the powerhouse.

There were 30 employees of TSGenco inside the powerhouse when the accident took place late on Thursday night. While six employees were rescued and brought out of the tunnel, 15 others managed to come out through the emergency exit route of the project. However, nine others were trapped inside as thick smoke engulfed inside the tunnel, making it difficult for the rescue teams to reach the place, Reddy said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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