Truck catches fire in Kwar hydroelectric project tunnel

Several labourers were rescued safely on Monday after a truck caught fire inside a tunnel at the Kwar hydroelectric power project on the Chenab river in mountainous Kishtwar district of Jammu region. They said there was no loss of life in the incident.

A fire broke out in the under-construction tunnel when a dumper caught fire while several labourers were engaged in tunnelling work at the project site in the Padyarna area, they said.

The Fire and Emergency Services Department rushed to the spot and, along with project officials, rescued all the workers safely.

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh in a statement said he spoke to Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma. “A tanker had got trapped in a tunnel at the site of the Kwar project. However, all persons trapped inside have been evacuated in time, thus avoiding any casualty from taking place. The news in certain quarters about casualties is unfounded and untrue,” Singh said.