Chronicle Editor
Fairness Moyana, Hwange Correspondent
Hwange Power Station Unit 1 was extensively damaged after it caught fire on Wednesday afternoon.
Sources said the fire is suspected to have broken out from Unit 1 basement, and was further ignited by a suspected fuel leak from the burner.
“It was a huge fire as it appeared as if the fuel poured out of the burner, breaking cables at the basement. The PVF pipe that was running broke off at the fledge or join resulting in a huge fire that covered the whole place. There is too much accumulation of purifying ash along the cable ducts and other housing which could have led to the fire,” said one source.
The fire, which is said to have also damaged a boiler sent clouds of smoke in the air. The unit is said to have been extensively damaged, raising fears of power shortages.
The station was running on three units 1,3 and 4 before unit one was put offline.
The Minister of Energy and Power Development, Cde Soda Zhemu, confirmed the incident, adding that he would issue a statement on the extent of damage once he got more information.
More to follow….
Online Reporter