Fire breaks out at landmark LIC building in Chennai

Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Service Additional Director operation and training S Vijayasekar said nearly 60 personnel of the department and two skylifts were involved to douse the raging flames on the building. On the use of skylifts to reach the top of tall structures during emergencies, he said Such equipment were used to douse flames in high-rise buildings.

Tense moments prevailed at Anna Salai, one of the arterial roads in Chennai, as a fire erupted on the top floor of the multi-storey Life Insurance Corporation of India building on Sunday here, official sources said.

However, there were no casualties in the incident, sources added. The blazing fire and thick plumes of smoke were seen billowing from the top floor of the city's iconic structure in the evening, even as a video of the incident went viral. Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Service Additional Director (operation and training) S Vijayasekar said nearly 60 personnel of the department and two skylifts were involved to douse the raging flames on the building. ''Today evening around 6 pm, the LIC panel board located on the 14th floor of the building caught fire due to an electrical short-circuit. Since it was located on the terrace, the flames that were emanating were huge,'' he said. Two skylifts, six fire engine vehicles and 60 personnel were involved in the operation and the flames were put out in about 14 minutes, he told reporters. Maintaining that such incidents occur during summer season, he said the department used to conduct fire audits regularly in high-rise buildings. ''The panel board of LIC located on the terrace was damaged while there was no damage to anything located inside the building. There was no casualty nor injuries to anyone,'' he said responding to a query. On the use of skylifts to reach the top of tall structures during emergencies, he said: ''Such equipment were used to douse flames in high-rise buildings. We have three skylift vehicles that can go up to a height of 172 feet. Orders have been issued to procure three more such vehicles,'' he said. The department holds a fire audit every six months and the evacuation points in multi-storey buildings are also checked regularly, he further said.

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