Detmarovice, North Moravia, July 29 (CTK) – The fire, which broke out in a sulphur absorber of the Czech coal-fired thermal power plant Detmarovice on Friday, is under control and it is to be completely eliminated on Monday, Vladimir Vlcek, head of the firefighters in the region, told CTK on Saturday.
“The fire has been localised and it is not expected to spread any further. After consulting a structural engineer it has been decided to let the absorber and the constructions cool off naturally, without using any water,” Vlcek said.
The fire started on July 28 around 10:30 and firefighters got it under control after more than five hours. The cause of the fire has not been revealed yet.
Jakub Kozak, spokesman for the firefighters, said the health of eight people was damaged – five employees who mostly inhaled smoke and three firemen who suffered from overheating and exhaustion. Four of these people were treated in hospital, Kozak said.
With an output of 800 MW, Detmarovice is the most efficient Czech black-coal-fired power plant and it is operated by the CEZ state-controlled power utility. Since 2000, it has also been partially using brown coal from northwest Bohemia.
CEZ spokeswoman Marie Paskova said the damage would be possible to set next week or even later after technicians would be allowed to enter the plant.
According to the preliminarily estimate, the fire caused damage of 100 million crowns.
Paskova said previously that inner parts of the recently reconstructed absorber flared up.
The plant, built close to the Polish border, supplies heat to the nearby towns of Bohumin and Orlova. The heat deliveries are not to be threatened since CEZ can use alternative sources.
On Friday, 17 firefighting units intervened in the plant. At present, only one unit is monitoring the fire that is to burn out in the absorber.
Vlcek said cooling of pressure bottles that were hit by the fire still continues. “In the relatively high temperatures there was the threat of their explosion,” he added.
