Ooty : The forest department officials with the help of tribals on Sunday managed to prevent a forest fire from spreading to the elephant camp in Theppakkadu in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) and saved he elephants.

The fire broke out at the forest area on Theppakkadu-Masinagudi Road coming under MTR early this morning and spread to nearly 100 acres of area, department sources said.

About 30 department officials, along with over 100 tribals including women and children, took efforts to douse the fire by hitting with the tree branches.

As the fire started spreading to the elephant camp, where nearly 30 elephants are camping, the officials initiated cross fire and prevented the spreading of fire, some 100 metres from the camp, thus saving the pachyderms, the sources said.