Panic gripped a densely populated neighbourhood in the Malsisar municipal region of Jhunjhunu district when an 11 KV high-tension overhead electricity line passing between Ward 11 and Ward 12 suffered a massive short circuit. Massive flames rapidly engulfed the electrical pole before the intense heat severed the overhead conductors. Burning cables snapped and crashed directly into the compound of a nearby residence as well as onto the paved thoroughfare below. Young children were playing near the site moments before the collapse, but prompt evasive action ensured that no passerby or local came into contact with the falling live cables, averting what could have been a catastrophic tragedy.
Blaze Continued for Ten Minutes Amid Power Cut Delays
According to neighbourhood residents, sparks first erupted late in the evening near an electricity pole positioned adjacent to a private house. Within minutes, the continuous sparking escalated into heavy flames that travelled along the transmission lines. The sudden explosion and raining embers triggered immediate chaos throughout the alley, sending terrified families running out to ensure their children were safe. Residents promptly reached out to the local discom station to demand an urgent shutdown of the feeder. Witnesses noted that despite the emergency distress calls, it took roughly 10 minutes for the utility team to de-energise the grid. During that critical window, the wires burned uncontrollably, fracturing into scattered, red-hot remnants that littered the lane.
Neglected Squirrel-Triggered Fault Preceded the Incident
Community members pointed out that this dangerous failure was entirely predictable, as the exact same stretch of wiring had suffered a breakdown merely a day earlier. In that previous disruption, a squirrel had made contact with the uninsulated conductors, sparking a fault that cut power to the area. While line personnel arrived to restore the flow, they allegedly applied only a superficial patch without examining the structural integrity of the charred wires or replacing the strained line sections. The failure to carry out comprehensive preventative maintenance left the hardware severely compromised, resulting in the massive thermal failure the very following evening.
Residents Confront Assistant Engineer Demanding Immediate Relocation
The repeated hazards have provoked intense public outrage across Ward 11 and Ward 12 against the power distribution company. A delegation of residents met Assistant Engineer Anil Kaler and submitted a formal memorandum demanding permanent corrective action. The community urged authorities to shift the hazardous 11 KV line completely outside the residential cluster to an isolated corridor. They further insisted on an on-site safety audit by senior technical supervisors, along with a time-bound commitment outlining the exact timeline for rerouting the dangerous high-voltage line, emphasizing that temporary repairs will no longer be tolerated in an active residential zone.
