Theni forest fire: a trek that ended in tragedy

March 14, 2018 07:45 am | Updated December 01, 2021 12:34 pm IST

On Sunday March 11, a forest fire at the Kurangani hill in the Bodi hills of Theni district in Tamil Nadu claimed the lives of eleven trekkers. The death toll rose to sixteen on March 17 and several others were being treated for burns and injuries at hospitals across Madurai.

A majority of those who died were under the age of 30.

Collection - 33 stories

Sixteen trekkers lost their lives in the recent forest fire at the Kurangani Hills near Bodinayakkanur in Theni district.

The embers of Kurangani

S. Poorvaja,Aravind Kumar B.

Fire in the woods: on Theni forest fire tragedy

Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Tuesday expressed his condolences to the victims of the Theni wildfire tragedy. Picture shows Mr. Purohit comforting the kin of the victims at the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai.

Satellite-based fire alert didn’t go out to Forest dept.

Special Correspondent

An IAF helicopter involved in rescue operations.

Forester suspended over Theni wildfire tragedy

A victim is being carried by a rescue team from the Kurangani hills in Theni district in Tamil Nadu on Monday.

Theni forest fire death toll mounts to 11; forest officer suspended, tour guide arrested

Pon Vasanth B.A

Chennai 12/03/2018: Indian Airforce chopper engaged in medical rescue operation in the sloppy terrains of Kurangani hills in Theni on Monday after the forest fire killed more than 10 people trekked the hills. Photo: Special Arrangement

Post-Theni tragedy, govt bans forest treks

Special Correspondent

Indian Air Force helicopter engaging in rescue operation after the forest fire at the Kurangani hill in Theni district on Monday.

Survivor recalls miraculous escape while others perished

Pon Vasanth B.A

MIT team pitches in with drones

Elderly couple mourn loss of only child

Nisha Tamiloli .

She died while helping others escape fire

Trekking Office closed at Palavakkam.

Tahsildar, police inspect office of trekking club

Deepu Sebastian Edmond

CHENNAI, 20/03/2012: Of forests, streams and sloth bears: Peter Van Geit talks about his Chennai Trekking Club. “I am a bit of an explorer,” will seem like a light-hearted joke. Since he started the Chennai Trekking Club (CTC) four years ago, this Belgian- turned-honorary Chennaite, spends most weekends “exploring beautiful places in South India'.
Photo:M.Karunakaran

Chennai Trekking Club founder’s antecedents under scanner

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU, 3/11/2017: Commissioner of Revenue Administration K. Satyagopal at the State Emergency Operations Centre at the Ezhilagam complex in Chennai on Friday.
Photo: M. Vedhan

interview | K. satyagopal

‘Reports that the fire has been raging for a week are not true’

Dennis S. Jesudasan

Centre-State coordination was key

T. Ramakrishnan

Estate workers make the difference

A body being carried by rescue personnel.

Theni forest fire

Grief-stricken relatives identify bodies of loved ones

Pon Vasanth B.A

A body being carried down from Kurangani in Theni on Monday.

Theni forest fire toll up to 10

B. Aravind Kumar

Collector Pallavi Baldev interacts with girls who were rescued from the forest fire on Sunday evening.

Theni forest fire: It all started with a panic call

Pon Vasanth B.A

Watch: The Theni forest fire

Authorities find Chennai Trekking Club premises deserted

Deepu Sebastian Edmond

SALEM, TAMIL NADU, 18/02/2018: The Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami addresses the gathering after laying foundation stone for various development works in Salem city in Tamil Nadu on February 18, 2018.
Photo: E. Lakshmi Narayanan

Full-fledged probe ordered into Kurangani hills fire accident, says CM

Syed Muthahar Saqaf

Indian Air Force helicopter engaging in rescue operation after the forest fire at the Kurangani hill in Theni district on Monday.

Kamal Haasan hails rescue efforts in Theni

Karthik Madhavan

Vibin Dhamodharan, one of the deceased in the forest fire in Kurangani hills in Theni, with his wife Dhivya.

Theni forest fire: An avid trekker bids adieu in the terrains he loved

Several students are trapped in a major forest fire near the Kurangani hills in Theni district of Tamil Nadu on Sunday.

After Theni forest fire, political leaders urge state govt. to ensure safety of trekkers

Relatives of the trekkers who died in the Korangani reserve forest fire wail outside the Theni Government Medical College hospital, in Theni on Monday.

Theni forest fire: scenes of inconsolable grief at district mortuary

Pon Vasanth B.A

Divya and Vivek tied the knot four months ago. Photo: Special Arrangement

Theni forest fire: Newly-married woman battles for life, husband dies

Tamil Nadu Health Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan visits the ward where victims with severe burn injuries are being treated at the Madurai Government Rajaji Hospital, March 12, 2018

Theni forest fire: trekkers being treated for burns at Madurai hospital

Some of the trekkers who were rescued from the Theni forests.

Theni forest fire: death toll increases to nine, several hospitalised

11-03-2018, Chennai, Tamil Nadu: Trekkers being rescued from the forest fire in the hills above Kurangani, a tourist spot in the western ghats of Theni district on Sunday evening

Forest fire: 16 Garud commandos, three choppers join rescue mission in Theni

An Indian Air Force helicopter rescuing people caught in a forest fire on Kurangani hill in Theni district on Monday.

TN forest fire: rescue continues into the night, commandos join in

Dennis S. Jesudasan

Relatives of the trekkers injured in Kurangani reserve forest fire outside the Theni Government Medical College hospital, in Theni on Monday.

TN forest fire: a group of strangers caught in the inferno

Special Correspondent

Several students are trapped in a major forest fire near the Kurangani hills in Theni district of Tamil Nadu on Sunday.

Five trekkers killed as fires engulf forests in Tamil Nadu

S. Vijay Kumar,B. Aravind Kumar

Some of the trekkers who were rescued from the Theni forests. SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Steps on to rescue those trapped: CM Palaniswami

Special Correspondent

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