A potentially serious fire incident was narrowly avoided at Paradip Port on 29 November after thick smoke was detected from a vessel that had recently completed loading nearly 30,000 tonnes of coal.
Smoke Triggers Emergency Response
According to local reports, the smoke was first seen near a stacker as the vessel was preparing to depart, causing panic among workers and prompting an immediate alert to port authorities. Due to the fire risk, officials quickly shifted the vessel from the iron ore berth to a coal berth, where firefighting teams began urgently unloading the overheated cargo.
Damage and Safety Measures
After the coal was removed, the ship was moved again to another berth for inspection by firefighters and technical experts. Some equipment—including the boom conveyor and stacker sustained damage from heat and ash. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Cargo operations, which were temporarily suspended, resumed on 30 November.
Cause Under Investigation
The cause of the incident is still being investigated. Workers noted that coal is typically sprayed with water during extreme heat to prevent spontaneous combustion, but this precaution was not carried out due to the winter conditions at the time.
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Source: Safety4Sea
