Fire destroys transformer at Pattabhiram substation, causes blackout for over four hours

A massive fire at the 110-kilovolt (KV) substation in Pattabhiram on Saturday night resulted in a blackout for more than four hours in several localities.

Pattabhiram near Avadi is a thickly populated residential area. The fire at the substation broke out around 10.20 pm, damaging a transformer that supplies localities including Thandurai, Parivakkam, Sekkadu, Hindu College, and Gopalapuram.

While officials of the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) immediately cut the power supply to the substation, five fire tenders were deployed from Ambattur, Avadi, and Poonamallee, to put out the fire. After over two hours, the firefighters managed to control the blaze.

T. Sadagopan, a resident of Pattabhiram, said power supply was disrupted around 10.30 pm and was restored only in the morning.

A. Roy Rozario, another resident of the locality, complained about intermittent power disruptions, which had caused severe hardships to the locals due to the hot weather.

A senior official of the Tangedco said there were three 16 megavolt ampere (MVA) power transformers in Pattabiraman substation. In the fire accident, one of these was damaged, which led to a blackout for three to five hours.

The local power officials, after completely putting out the fire, shifted the load to the other two transformers and restored power. The officials are taking steps to replace the damaged transformer on Sunday with a spare that was already available, the senior official added.