HYDERABAD - A power transformer explosion in Unit 8, Latifabad, Hyderabad claimed seven lives and left 18 others injured on Friday morning. According to police due to the explosion, hot oil splitted from the Pole Mounted Transformer (PMT) which affected people nearby the pole including linemen of Hyderabad Electricity Supply Company (HESCO).
The deceased were identified as Shujaat, Tabish, Waqas, Noman, Sajjad Qureshi, Nadeem and Fayaz. The injured were shifted to Liaquat University Hospital’s Burns Ward from where those in critical conditions were referred to Karachi.
Two of the injured persons, Suhail and Fayaz, were linemen of Hyderabad Electric Supply Company. The explosion was so strong that three rickshaws and a motorcycle was also burnt. In a statement issued here, a HESCOs spokesman cited overloading of the power connections on 200 KV transformer as the reason of the blast.
“The HESCO staff was present there. As soon as the jumpers were attached and load was given on the PMT a sudden flash occurred and it caught fire and began to spill hot oil,” the statement said.
HESCO’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Rehan Hameed has prayed for speedy recovery of the injured and expressed sympathy with the families of deceased.
HESCO has also established a committee headed by Deputy Director Safety to conduct probe into the incident and fix responsibility.
It is to be mentioned here that three persons, injured in a similar explosion in a PMT in Hyderabad over a month ago, lost their lives during the treatment. The Hyderabad police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the officials of Hyderabad Electric Supply Company.