LAHORE: Trees near the switchyard of Tarbela dam’s power house caught fire on Thursday night, threatening the transmission lines and forcing the authorities to suspend supply of about 1,400MW to the national grid.

According to sources in the ministry of water and power, the equipment and machinery of the power plant were safe and in working condition.

Two helicopters and several fire engines were pressed into service by officials engaged in efforts to put out the fire, said the sources.—Ahmad Fraz Khan