CHENNAI: Sophisticated electronic equipment and optic fibre cables worth over Rs 20 crore were destroyed after a major fire broke out in a warehouse of the Signal and Telecom department of Southern Railway (SR) headquarters at Perambur in the city early Thursday.
However, no one was injured in the accident.
Around 7.30am Thursday, fire broke out at the S & T store attached to the zone's S&T / Project unit where all electronic items were stored, a statement issued by SR zonal headquarters in the evening said, claiming that the night watchman on duty noticed the fire at 07:30 am and immediately alerted the RPF staff on duty.
"The fire service of Perambur Carriage Works was sensitized and came forward immediately to put out the fire. But since the fire was uncontrollable and was spreading fast, the ICF fire service and around 6 fire engines from Ayyanavaram, Vyasarpadi, Thondaiyar Pettai, Kolathur, Sembiyam & Washermanpet along with Southern Railway Civil Defense -amp; St. John's Ambulance staff were engaged rigorously, " the release added, claiming that the fire was completely put off around 1pm and no one was injured in the accident.
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Electronic items which were stored in the premises such as Visual Display Units (VDU), Electronic Interlocking (EI) systems, PCs, Axle Counters, Integrated Power Supply (IPS) systems and Datalogger in addition to optic fibre cables were damaged in the fire.
Meanwhile, the zonal General Manager has ordered the constitution of a three-member committee of JAG officers from S&T, Stores and Security departments for probing the fire accident.
Informed SR sources disclosed that the value of the material destroyed in the fire is estimated to be between Rs 20 crore and 30 crores and the Senior divisional security commissioner would head the probe committee to ascertain the cause of the fire.
Initially, some senior railway officials told DT Next over phone that the fire originated sometime in the night and it was brought to their notice after residents of the adjoining railway staff quarters noticed and alerted local officials.