Fire breaks out in office of insurance company

Madurai

Files, furniture and electrical equipment in the office of a private insurance company on the II floor of a multi-storey building on 80 Feet Road at K.K. Nagar here went up in flames after fire broke out on Friday morning.

Fire and Rescue Services personnel fought for nearly three hours to put out the fire.

The Fire and Rescue Service source said that an electrical short circuit could have led to the fire. According to an eye-witness, the smoke was first noticed at around 8.15 a.m. after a security personnel switched on the mains of air conditioners in the insurance office.

Sensing danger, the security switched off the mains. However, more smoke started coming out after which he alerted the police.

Five fire tenders from Tallakulam, Madurai and Anuppanadi stations were deployed. The firemen could not get close to the building as thick smoke due to burning of plastic materials in false-ceiling emanated from the building, the Additional District Fire Officer, M. Subramanian, said.

Later, the firemen broke the glass panes of windows on the II floor to release the smoke. They had to use a ladder to climb an iron platform put up near the air conditioners’ outer units and broke the glass panes.

Forty firemen fought till 11 a.m. to completely douse the inferno. Seven tankers were pressed into service. The city police diverted traffic for some time.

In a freak accident two persons were injured when an oxygen cylinder started flying after a fireman opened its valve to check its content.

“After the oxygen cylinder of the breathing apparatus used by a fireman got exhausted, he came down to replace it. When he opened the valve, the cylinder started flying,” Mr. Subramanian, said.