Chennai, Dec 22 (IANS): Five persons were injured in a fire mishap at Unit II of Neyveli New Thermal Power Station (2x500 MW) in Cuddalore district on Thursday.

Sources in the Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) told IANS that the technical team of NLC is trying to ascertain the exact cause of the mishap.

The accident, according to some workers in plant, occurred at 11.30 a.m. on Thursday during the lignite burning process at Unit II.

N. Suresh, K. Suresh, S. Thirunavukarasu and D. Senthil Kumar, who were working for the Industrial Cooperative Service Society (ICSS) attached to the Neyveli Lignite Corporation, along with an employee, R. Dakshinamoorthy, were injured in the fire that erupted in the auxiliary lines of a boiler.

The condition of Tirunavukarasu, who suffered 80 per cent burns, is stated to be critical. The others have suffered 30-40 per cent burn injuries and have been admitted to a private hospital in Cuddalore.

It may be recalled that the fire mishap at the Neyveli Lignite Corporation is the third in the past two-and-a-half years.