A massive fire broke out at the scrap shed of the under-construction 1,320-megawatt coal-based thermal power plant (RNPL) in Kalapara, Patuakhali.
The fire started around 7:30 PM on Sunday (April 27) in the scrap yard, which spans approximately 20 acres. The flames quickly spread, burning through thousands of tons of scrap metal and various equipment stored in the area. At least 13 to 14 duty posts were also damaged in the blaze. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported.
Upon receiving the news, two units from the Kalapara Fire Service and two in-house units from the power plant rushed to the scene. After nearly two hours of effort, firefighters managed to bring the fire under control by around 9 PM.
Selim Bhuiyan, Managing Director of RNPL, confirmed that the main power plant remained unaffected by the fire. He added that the exact cause of the fire has yet to be determined and that an investigation is underway to find out whether it was an act of sabotage.
Md. Mostafa Mohsin, Assistant Director of Patuakhali Fire Service and Civil Defense, stated that the fire broke out at a considerable distance from the main plant, so there was no major threat to the power generation facilities. However, as some sparks are still flaring up, fire service personnel are staying at the site as a precaution.
