Old filter unit collapses in Balco plant, no casualties reported
20-year-old electrostatic precipitator structure caves in, workers escape unhurt
Incident revives memories of earlier chimney collapse at the same facility
Safety oversight and regulatory gaps surface after fresh accident
By : Akshay Lahre
Korba : A major industrial mishap was narrowly averted at Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (Balco) plant on Friday when a two-decade-old electrostatic precipitator (ESP) structure collapsed inside the production premises. The accident, which could have led to a severe tragedy, left the workforce shaken but caused no casualties, officials confirmed.
According to preliminary details, the ESP, installed during 2004–05 by SEPCO Company, suddenly gave way during operational hours, sending a loud crash across the unit. Workers present at the site said they had a narrow escape as the massive structure came down without warning. “We survived by a whisker,” one of them recounted, visibly disturbed by the scale of the fall.
The ESP serves as a dust and ash filter in the plant’s production system and had been in continuous use for nearly 20 years. Initial inquiries suggest that age-related weakening of the installation may have contributed to the sudden collapse. Investigations have been launched to assess whether structural stress checks or timely replacements had been carried out as per safety protocols.
The accident has once again brought safety practices in Balco under sharp scrutiny. It may be recalled that the plant had earlier witnessed a chimney collapse, which raised similar questions about adherence to inspection schedules and response systems. Despite that incident, sources say corrective measures appear to have been minimal, with recurring lapses exposing employees to risk.
Labour department officials have been asked to examine whether compliance with industrial safety standards was duly monitored in recent years. Trade unions have also demanded a thorough technical audit of all ageing units within the plant to prevent a repeat of such events. “This cannot be brushed aside as a one-off accident. Safety audits must be carried out transparently,” union representatives said.
The incident has revived memories of the chimney crash, which was considered one of the serious lapses in Balco’s operational history. The collapse of the ESP, though without casualties, has underlined concerns that the lessons from earlier mishaps were not effectively applied. Workers allege that despite repeated requests for upgrading ageing infrastructure, the responses have been delayed or piecemeal.
Balco management has yet to issue a detailed statement on the collapse. However, insiders said an internal review is underway to ascertain both the technical reasons and accountability behind the failure of the unit. The company is also expected to submit a compliance report to state regulatory agencies.
Experts point out that electrostatic precipitators in thermal and metallurgical industries require rigorous upkeep after a decade of service, including component replacement and stress testing. Any delay in preventive maintenance, they warn, could trigger structural instability and pose grave hazards.
While the accident did not claim lives, the shock has left workers and their families demanding stronger safeguards. The need for an independent probe into regulatory monitoring, as well as timely modernisation of critical units, has become evident once again in the wake of the Balco plant incident.
