Vishakapatnam, April 11: In a major fire at the Steel Melting Shop (SMS) of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), liquid steel worth crores of rupees fell on the floor damaging equipment and cables here on Sunday.
The doors of one of the ladles was not properly closed after it was filled with molten steel, which has to pass to the continuous casting department (CCD), sources said. As the ladle moved, the slide gate of one of the ladles opened, spilling molten steel over the cables underneath and the equipment. None was injured in the accident. The other five casters are functioning well and are taking the load of the damaged caster, the sources said. “The equipment, cables and steel, which are either damaged or rendered useless, have insurance coverage. The loss is expected to be in crores. However, the amount of loss can be ascertained only after an inquiry. The accident took place as the slide gate of the ladles was not properly closed. The other ladles are functioning and there is no production loss,” said a senior official of the VSP.
It’s learnt that the management is setting up a departmental inquiry to find out the exact cause of the accident and assess the loss. Senior officials from the finance, works and safety departments will conduct the probe.
—Agencies