Bharat Nagar residents have tough time as transformers catch fire

Amritsar, June 26

Residents of Bharat Nagar locality here had a tough time after two electricity transformers supplying power to the area caught fire yesterday night. The power supply to the residential area was disrupted around 1.15 am last night. It was not restored till the time of filing of this report.

Short-circuit was cited as the reason behind fire. Residents first heard a loud explosion following which fire engulfed two transformers. Electricity cables near transformers melted due to heat generated by the fire.

Payal, an area resident, said, “People did not have water to drink. We got water after the municipal corporation sent a tanker.” She said the heat had become unbearable as there was no electricity. Residents were seen sitting in streets throughout the day and used hand fans to keep the heat at bay, she added.

Surinder Kumar, another area resident said, “We have been requesting the power corporation to restore electricity at the earliest as children and elderly cannot bear the heat. Due to heavy damage to transmission lines, it seems that restoring the power supply has become an uphill task.” He said earlier they had requested Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) to install big transformers in order to cater to high demand for the electricity in their area.

Residents complained that though the fire was reported at 1:15 am, it took nearly one-and-a-half-hour for fire tenders to reach the spot. The flames touched walls of nearby houses, but no loss was reported.

Officials of the PSPCL said transformers caught fire due to overload. They said transformers were installed as per the registered load of the area. “People usually do not get their load enhanced. They use appliances which require more electricity,” a power corporation official said, while adding that they were trying to restore electricity in the area.