Fire destroys CSTPS coal conveyor belt

Chandrapur: A massive fire destroyed the conveyor belt that carries coal from coal bunker to coal mill in Chandrapur Super Thermal Power Station (CSTPS) here on Saturday. Plant officials, however, maintained that the accident had no effect on power generation. A primary estimate of damage to property has pegged the loss at about Rs 1.50 crore.
Fire broke out in the conveyor belt around 8 am.Dense plumes of black smoke rising from the burning structure were so high that they could be seen from Chandrapur city located several kilometres away. CSTPS officials suspect short circuit or burning of coal due to friction heat as the possible reason behind the outbreak of fire. The 150-metre-long belt along with its load of coal was destroyed in the fire.
The fire department of CSTPS moved into action immediately. Fire tenders had to strive hard as the structure holding conveyor belt was very high and they had to scale tall ladders with heavy water jets to reach up to the burning structure. Officials have initiated investigations to ascertain the cause of fire.
Incidents of disruption of coal supply due to burning and snapping of conveyor belt in CSTPS have occurred time and again. Having learnt a lesson the hard way during previous incidents, the plant management has made alternative arrangements to carry the coal from CHP to power generation plant.
Officers said that plant was generating 1110 MW power five functional units of power plant. Old unit no. 1 and 2 in the plant have been shut down as generation in those units was uneconomical and caused high pollution.