Powerful blast in BSP sends tremors across 2 km
| Date :02-Jul-2019 |
Staff Reporter:
BHILAI
No one was injured nor any significant loss was recorded owing to high intensity blast
STRUCTURES in two-kilometre radius area were shaken with high intensity blast that occurred in Steel Melting Shop-III (SMS-III) of Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) on Monday morning. Since it was a strong explosion, panic created in SMS-III as the workers started running helter-skelter on the apprehension of earthquake tremors. However, the situation was normalised later. No one was injured nor any significant was loss reported in the mishap.
According to information, at about 10:05 am on Monday, hot slag was being dumped through the ladle in Slag Dump Yard of SMS-III in BSP when the high intensity blast occurred. As the outcome of the deafening blast the roof of structure above the spot was thrown away into pieces and structures around and adjoining areas in two-kilometre radius were shaken. After receiving information, members of Safety Committee of CITU reached the site of mishap and recorded the first hand details.
The committee members also interacted with workers and sought their suggestions for effectively checking repetition of such mishaps. President of Hindustan Steel Employees Union (CITU) S P Dey informed that on Monday morning the high intensity blast in SMS-III had shaken the structures in Sintering Plant-III (SP-III), Coal Sorting Plant (CSP), Power Supply Department (PSD) and Coke Oven, spread in about two-kilometer radius area. As usual the crane operator was dumping hot slag in the area from the ladle when blast took place.
The land in the area was wet owing to spell of rains on Sunday evening and it caused the explosion. Hence, after interacting with the workers, it was decided that prior to dumping of slag it would be duly ensured that whether the land is wet or dry for checking repetitions of such mishaps. Public Relation Department, BSP informed that while de-slagging job was in progress in slag dump yard of SMS-III, BSP, liquid slag came in contact with moist debris (seepage of rain water from outside the shop). This has led to formation of steam underneath the slag. A strong eruption of steam occurred, causing damage to corrugated sheets. The production of SMS-III continued as usual and no injuries to any worker or damage to equipments was reported.