CHENNAI: A fire broke out at the BSNL office on Anna Salai on Saturday morning, triggering panic in the busy commercial stretch. No injuries or entrapments were reported as the incident occurred on a holiday when the office was closed.According to officials, the fire was noticed around 9.30 am after a security guard spotted thick smoke billowing from the second floor of the building. Fire and rescue services rushed to the spot and battled the blaze for over an hour. At least five fire tenders and 10 metro water tankers were pressed into service to douse the fire.Preliminary inquiries suggest that the fire may have been triggered by an electrical short circuit. Police said a battery kept in one of the rooms on the second floor is suspected to have exploded, which may have sparked the fire. The flames reportedly spread through cable lines and extended to the third, fourth, and sixth floors of the building. The exact cause of the fire will be confirmed after a detailed investigation.As thick smoke engulfed the building, commuters on Anna Salai slowed down, and several motorists stopped to record videos of the incident, leading to traffic congestion on the arterial road. Police personnel were deployed to regulate traffic and ensure public safety.The fire caused disruption to critical services housed at the BSNL facility. TANGEDCO said its servers maintained at the BSNL office were affected, resulting in a temporary disruption of online payment services. In addition, backup servers of the 108 ambulance service located at the BSNL office were also damaged in the fire. Officials clarified that the main 108 ambulance control room at the DMS Complex in Teynampet continues to function normally.Firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control, and further investigations are underway to assess the extent of damage and determine the exact cause of the incident.
Join The Discussion