ZESCO has said that the flash fire that occurred at the Kafue Gorge Lower Hydro Power Project last Friday leading to the death of one person will not affect commissioning. Acting ZESCO Managing Director Webster Musonda says the fire only affected the sealant, a paint that is used to seal off leakages in the dam wall.
He told Energy Minister Mathew Nkhuwa that the replacement of the paint will only take a few days and the scheduled commissioning of the first unit remains next month. Mr. Musonda revealed that the filling of the reservoir with water will start in the second week of November and will only take one week.
And Mr. Musonda said ZESCO and the contractor will help the family of the deceased. He however reiterated the utility company’s commitment to upholding a safe working environment.
Mr. Nkhuwa said he decided to tour the construction site after getting conflicting reports that the whole power plant had burnt down. He expressed happiness that the works will go on as scheduled.
The Minister however advised ZESCO management and the contractor to put in place various safety measures.
And UPND Chikankata Member of Parliament Kabwe Chrispin Mwiinga advised ZESCO management to prioritise life above anything else.
Yesterday Minister of Energy Mathew Nkhuwa confirmed that a flash fire accident occurred at Kafue Gorge lower Hydro electricity site on Friday. Mr.Nkhuwa said that the incident occurred as three workers were cutting the tie rod bars on the dam wall and that the three workers who were on assignment incidentally sustained some burns.
Mr.NKHUWA said that the victims were evacuated to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) for specialised treatment and identified the victims are Joseph Muchini ,Siloni Chisi and Kakulubwelwa Kakulubelwa, and that Mr.Kakulubelwa has been discharged whist his colleagues are still receiving treatment. Mr.Nkhuwa also visited the victims at UTH.
Meanwhile, Mr.Nkhuwa said the fire accident at Kafue lower was not serious enough to disrupt the power project. He says government is doing every thing possible to ensure that the project is afloat.
So how well did the $1 million firefighter perform? Ogh! We also recently had firefighters trained in marine rescue. That should be comforting. So when will the lights be turned on?
We are more interested in the welfare of the victims and to give the late a dignified send off, we will talk about Continuity things later. We are already used to your darkness which you blame on previous governments, and how do you feel to blame anything on everything, it will be climate change or covid or strike by fuel transporters or negative sentiments by opposition, you must blame somebody at every turn
They even blamed HH at one time for the rains when they delayed.
Condolences to the victims family , MHSRIP.
we now know the delayed publication of this article was due to the fact state house were contemplating calling the fire sabotage but were advised a true chain of events was slready in the public domain.
I smell a rat here, it looks like Hon. Nkhuwa’s finger is at stake after swearing that if there will be power outages by next year…. his finger must be cut off. The red blood party is responsible for this accident.
I do not know what’s worse, the lack of explanation of what caused the fire, the obvious interest in the project mostly by the minister, or the quality of politicized comments by PF and UPND cadres in the comment section.
We thank God. We know that there is an opposition party which has been praying to their Saturn for this. We are saddened by the death and are engaging the family of deceased.
This won’t stop us commissioning and improving electricity supply in our country. Ba upnd you will die of frustration. You can’t bring a good man or team down. God is on our side you devil worshippers. God fire them!!!
Usually Chinese don’t cause fires, they clean out as they work.
But look at PF cabinet meetings, electric wires passing between their balls, so scary.
Very little is said about the death of a human being by both the reporter and the energy company’s officials. The story focuses on the equipment and how it isn’t affected much by the fire. How inhuman have we become?
and that Mr.Kakulubelwa has been discharged whist his colleagues are still receiving treatment. Mr.Nkhuwa also visited the victims at UTH.
Isn’t this the same person who died?