HYDERABAD: A 10-year-old boy named Talha received minor injuries when a pole-mounted transformer (PMT) fell outside Seth Kamaluddin High School in Guru Nagar area on Monday.

The PMT was installed by Hyderabad Electric Supply Company’s (Hesco) Phuleli subdivision and fell near the school wall, later catching fire.

A couple of days ago, a PMT fell in Kohsar area, but luckily no one was injured as it was fixed away from populated area along a green belt.

A 12-year-old girl also received injures in Unit-11 Latifabad when a blast was reported in the transformer of the area a few days back.

A Hesco spokesman said the staff had fixed the transformer on a sub-station. He said it was not energised by that time. But soon after it was placed on the pole, it fell down and caught fire. He said that apparently the staff did not follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) of the PMT, which led to the incident.

Incidents of fire and oil leakage are being regularly reported in various areas. Residents are uploading videos of such incidents on different WhatsApp groups and social media. One such video pertained to Unit-12 Cantonment dispensary transformer where a fire erupted.

Residents tried to extinguish the fire by throwing dust onto the transformer.

So far 13 persons have died in two separate incidents of blast in transformers in June-July period in the city. Inquiry into the July 22 incident remains incomplete.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2021