By TC News Desk
Agartala, 2nd July 2025: Panic gripped residents of Ward numbers 1 and 2 under Algapur Gram Panchayat in Dharmanagar after a newly installed electric transformer caught fire unexpectedly.
According to locals, the transformer had been installed just a few days prior to the incident, allegedly without thorough testing. Residents claim that negligence on the part of the electricity department led to the fire, which could have resulted in a larger disaster.
Residents reportedly attempted to contact both the electricity and fire departments immediately after the fire broke out. However, there was no immediate response from either department. Only after reaching out to Agartala’s emergency helpline did personnel arrive at the scene and bring the blaze under control.
On-site fire and electricity department workers admitted to struggling with inadequate manpower. One electricity department employee confessed that there aren’t enough personnel to respond to emergency calls efficiently. A fire department official added, “The Dharmanagar office has long been facing a staffing crisis, and poor BSNL network connectivity often disrupts communication during emergencies.”
The incident has triggered outrage among local residents, who question the government’s preparedness for handling emergencies. “If critical services like electricity and fire response remain this neglected, we’re sitting on a potential disaster,” said one local resident.
