Raigarh: The store of Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company in Raigarh caught fire last night, and according to officials, 400 old transformers were destroyed in the process. Arising from the incident, the firm’s management pulled the store’s Executive Engineer, Gunjan Sharma, from his post while the matter was thoroughly investigated. Again, a worrying circumstance in that the damaged transformers and other electrical equipment were not insured, thus resulting in huge financial losses to the power company.
It is as if this brings back memories of a previous fire in Gudhiyari, which caused losses of around Rs. 50 crore. That case was already investigated by a high-level committee, which was chaired by the then Executive Director (O&M) and now Managing Director of the distribution company Bheem Singh. Based on this, several measures were recommended to avoid future such cases. But those recommendations seem to have done nothing more than meet paper. Following some improvements in security and safety measures after it experienced a fire in the Raigarh mine, conditions back at the company went back to negligence.
A rapid spread of the fire to dry grass and small trees around the Raigarh store was not clear, according to the sources. Old transformers not taken off in a single unit to be replaced or repaired had been kept to be used again, which is how most of the transformers destroyed were. Such discussions and concerns have been raised within the company after their loss. It was also reported that company stores were not regularly being subjected to fire audits that were being instructed.
Alok Ambasht, Chief Engineer from Bilaspur, has been handed over the investigation. Not only was PS Bhagat, senior scientist from the Scene of Crime Mobile Unit, who spoke to the police submitted his report. According to the report, the fire probably began when an unknown person, heedless of it, threw something on the dry grass, which then ignited and spread rapidly inside the store through cable wires due to plastic and transformer oil.
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