Fire tenders were pressed into service after a fire broke out in a mobile tower belonging to the BSNl and installed on the roof of a three-storied building near the Mandal Market here on Sunday morning.
The fire occurred in the base terminal station (BTS) of the tower. Incidentally, the roof of the building, previously a Kalyan Mandap, accommodates another mobile tower of Aircel while the second floor of the building is occupied by a private company doing database work for Aadhar Card. No damage of any kind was reported as the fire was brought under control by the timely intervention of fire service personnel. While no one of the BSNl was available, the panic-stricken local residents informed the fire station asking its personnel to come to the building, Jagadhatri Kalyan Mandap.
The fire broke out from one of the AC units fitted for the BTS and kept spreading. The BTS contains a set of batteries, but there was no damage to them, said a fire service officer, adding that the tower was deactivated till inspection and repairs were completed. The feeder cable of the tower and both the ACs have to be replace, if necessary, he said. The temperature of BTS unit was kept within limit by two ACs while the other AC was damaged. BSNl Divisional Telecom Engineer (DTE) RD Majhi said, “It was an accidental fire that broke out from one AC. No major damage has occurred. The tower will remain unserviceable till the repair and restoration works are completed.”