Fire engulfs marshland in southern India; no casualties reported
by ShravyaA fire broke out in a marshland in southern India’s Tamil Nadu quickly spreading to a vast area. The blaze, reportedly caused by summer heat, was brought under control after a two-hour effort by the Fire and Rescue Services.
The incident took place at Perumbakkam in Chengalpattu district on May 30.
Visuals showed a fierce fire was raging in the marshland, with flames spreading rapidly and intensely.
On Thursday night around 9 p.m., passers-by noticed flames erupting in the Perumbakkam marshland near Global Hospital and promptly alerted the Fire and Rescue Services. The fire, believed to have been sparked by the intense summer heat, rapidly spread across the marshland.
Personnel from the Velachery, Pallikaranai, and other fire stations rushed to the scene. Despite initial difficulties in accessing the marshland, the firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control after a strenuous two-hour battle.
Senior officers from the police and fire services, including the Tambaram City Police Commissionerate, were present at the scene to oversee the operation. According to a senior police officer, there were no casualties reported. However, the fire inflicted significant damage on the vegetation and destroyed bird breeding grounds in the marshland, sources revealed.
A fire services officer recounted the challenges faced in controlling the fire, noting that the vast area and the inaccessibility of the fire-tenders to move into the marshland made the task particularly tough. Despite these hurdles, the fire was successfully contained, preventing further spread to nearby establishments, including a college and several other institutions surrounding the marshland.