Turkey’s power plant fire under control, cooling works continue
A wildfire that hit a thermal power plant in the southwest-ern Turkish province of Mugla has been under control, local officials announced Thursday.
"No explosion occurred in the power plant, and no chemicals were spread to the environ-ment," the Mugla municipality said in a statement, noting that cooling works are going on in the area.
Photos published by the municipality showed citizens in the nearby towns being evacuated from land and sea in panic until the morning hours.
According to local officials, nearly 5,000 households were evacuated, and around 9,000 citizens were transferred to safe areas because of the explosion risk.
The fire had reached the Kemerkoy Thermal Power Plant buildings on Wednesday evening, with the risk of spreading to thousands of tons of coal inside. Fahrettin Altun, communication director of the Turkish presidency, said the main units of the station were not heavily damaged.
Xinhua