A massive fire erupted at a godown storing discarded electronic equipment on the Tech Mahindra campus in Sholinganallur, Chennai, on Friday evening. Fortunately, no casualties were reported in the incident.
Location and Evacuation
The warehouse is situated within the Tamil Nadu Electronics Corporation Special Economic Zone on Chennai's Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR), an area housing several IT and automobile companies with approximately 6,000 employees. According to police officials, thick black smoke billowed from the godown shortly after the fire broke out. Employees inside the campus were immediately evacuated as a precautionary measure. Fire safety personnel on the campus initially attempted to douse the flames.
Response and Firefighting Efforts
Upon receiving information, fire and rescue services personnel from multiple stations, including Tambaram, Thiruvanmiyur, Thoraipakkam, Medavakkam, and Guindy, rushed to the spot. Private firefighting vehicles from nearby companies were also deployed to assist in the operation. The godown housed discarded electrical items, such as old air-conditioners and damaged electric vehicles, all of which were gutted in the blaze. More than 50 firefighters worked for several hours to bring the fire under control. Private water tankers joined the rescue operations to support the efforts.
Cause and Investigation
Official sources indicated that the fire is suspected to have been caused by an electrical short circuit. Police have registered a case and further investigation is underway to determine the exact cause and assess the damage.
