Heavy furnace oil tank explodes at Guru Gobind Singh Thermal plant

Bhupinder Channa
Ghanauli

Heavy furnace oil tank of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Thermal Plant, Ghanauli exploded on late Saturday night. More than 250 employees of thermal plant including all officers tried to control fire. Fire tenders rushed to site and efforts were made to control the fire.

All the senior plant officials also reached the site. According to the information around 8 pm on Saturday there was a loud blast in ‘Heavy Furnace Oil’(HFO) tank number 2. Although this tank was not fully loaded but it was still having more than 200 kilolitre oil in it. While talking to Daily Post Superintending Engineer Satnam Singh said, “We are still not aware about the causes of explosion but we are trying to control the fire.” He also intimated that the heavy furnace oil costs to Powercom at the rate of Rs 50000 per kilolitre. So it is very much clear that more than 200 kilolitre oil was there in tank and due to this huge explosion Powercom has to bear the loss of more than Rs one crore.

It is also pertinent to mention here that more than 250 employees and other officials along with fire brigade of thermal plant were trying to control the fire but it was still out of control. HFO tank is away from main building and there was no danger to plant and machinery of units.