Fire hits Napocor’s Calaca tower

CALACA, Batangas — A one-and-a-half hour fire gutted the transfer tower of the National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR) here causing a slight delay in the operation Saturday afternoon, fire officials said.

Initial investigation showed that the fire started at the transfer tower’s conveyor when a welding machine was inadvertently left running by one of the workers and resulted in overheating. No one was reported hurt in the incident.

Inspector Von Ferdinand Nicasio, district fire marshal, said the fire started at around 12:10 p.m. and lasted until 1:30 p.m. before it was declared under control.

Firefighters from the neighboring towns of Lemery, Balayan, Tuy and Taal helped the Calaca fire station in putting out the fire. Firefighters from private companies such as Central Asucarera and Bacnotan Industrial Park also assisted in controlling the fire.

Officials pegged the damage at P15 million. "We’re still determining the total amount of property razed. Napocor will have yet to determine the extent of the damage" Calaca chief of police Engracio Vino told The STAR. The transfer tower 1 is used to transport bituminous coal using a conveyor for its power generating plant.