7 die in power transformer explosion in Hyderabad

By News Desk

HYDERABAD: An electricity transformer explosion in Hyderabad claimed seven lives and left 18 others injured on Friday.

Mobile phone footage of the incident showed loud and bright sparking of the Pole-Mounted Transformer (PMT) before it blew up. The explosion also reportedly damaged three auto rickshaws and a motorcycle nearby.

The police said due to the explosion, hot oil spilled from the PMT, which fell on people near the pole, including technicians of the Hyderabad Electricity Supply Company (Hesco).

The injured were taken to a local university hospital’s burns unit, from where those in critical condition were referred to Karachi. Two of the injured people were Hesco linemen.

A Hesco spokesman said overloading of the power connections on the 200-KV transformer was the cause of the blast. “Hesco staff was present there. As soon as the jumpers were attached and load was given to the PMT, a sudden flash occurred and it caught fire and began to spill hot oil,” the spokesman said.

Hesco has also established a committee headed by the deputy director safety to conduct an investigation into the incident and fix responsibility. A month ago three people died in a similar explosion in Hyderabad.