The fire that raged through large patches of dry grass at a property close to the Kerala State Electricity Board’s (KSEB) diesel power plant at Brahmapuram on Thursday has forced authorities to step up the fire fighting mechanism at the power plant.
The Hindu has learnt that a three-metre-wide fire line will be put in place in a few days to check fire from spreading to the power plant premises following an accident.
Senior officials of the KSEB said on Friday that bushes, weeds and other vegetation would be cleared to create the fire line which would prevent flames from reaching the plant. All inflammable material would be removed. Steps would also be taken to prevent roots of plants and trees from catching fire, they said.
The decision to build a fire line came exactly a day after the grass fire that lasted for a few hours.
The fire spread dangerously close to the area near the diesel power plant. A senior official of the Fire and Rescue Services Department, who was part of the fire fighting operation, said timely intervention and joint efforts made by the Gandhinagar and Thrikkakara units of the department helped in containing the fire.
“We manned the two sides of the land and took measures to check the fire from spreading to the area close to the power plant,” he said.
The official called for immediate steps to step up the fire fighting measures at the diesel power plant. He said the authorities should also ensure regular removal of dry grass around the plant. KSEB officials said they had a fire fighting system which followed the guidelines prescribed by the Fire Department.
