15 June 2013
The Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) restored operations yesterday at the desalination plant in Jeddah, 24 hours after a fire stopped a power generator.
A turbine explosion at the plant caused the fire on Thursday evening. The SWCC said that the incident caused a sudden stoppage of generator No. 11 at around 5:20 p.m.
The corporation said this led to a gas leak from the generator that fueled the fire. The water shortage in the city was covered from the strategic reserve at the Shoaiba plants.
Col. Saeed Sarhan, spokesman of Makkah Civil Defense, said seven firefighting teams and machinery rushed to the plant when a report was received of the fire.
When the teams arrived at the end of Prince Mohammad bin Abdul Aziz Road, west of Jeddah, thick smoke covered the area. Officers then divided the teams and tackled the fire from four locations. An outside source was used to provide extra water.
The fire was in a turbine that converts mechanical power into electric power. The Civil Defense and industrial fire brigade team put out the fire. No causalities were reported and investigations are under way.
The Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) restored operations yesterday at the desalination plant in Jeddah, 24 hours after a fire stopped a power generator.
A turbine explosion at the plant caused the fire on Thursday evening. The SWCC said that the incident caused a sudden stoppage of generator No. 11 at around 5:20 p.m.
The corporation said this led to a gas leak from the generator that fueled the fire. The water shortage in the city was covered from the strategic reserve at the Shoaiba plants.
Col. Saeed Sarhan, spokesman of Makkah Civil Defense, said seven firefighting teams and machinery rushed to the plant when a report was received of the fire.
When the teams arrived at the end of Prince Mohammad bin Abdul Aziz Road, west of Jeddah, thick smoke covered the area. Officers then divided the teams and tackled the fire from four locations. An outside source was used to provide extra water.
The fire was in a turbine that converts mechanical power into electric power. The Civil Defense and industrial fire brigade team put out the fire. No causalities were reported and investigations are under way.
© Arab News 2013
