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Mechel Announces Accident at Its Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant
Mar. 12, 2010 Mechel OAO has halted production at the Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant (CMP) Coke Shop #2 following a gas explosion on Thursday, March 11.
The accident occurred during planned steam cleaning operations of a recycling coke gas pipeline, when coke gas exhausted and flashed in the tunnel of Coke Oven Battery #8. The gas pipe line was destroyed and coke gas burning followed. Barrier and wall structures of the tunnel are also damaged. The accident resulted in the death of one tunnel-servicing woman from Coke Shop #2 and the injury of another tunnel-servicing woman, who was taken to the hospital.
The company implemented emergency works in accordance with its operational plan, and halted operation of the damaged coke oven operations.
Mechel estimates that repair works will take about two weeks, during which the plant’s daily coke output will be decreased by approximately 900 tonnes. The company is preparing a new production program that will help to minimize the negative impact of the accident on CMP’s and Mechel-Coke OOO’s operations.
The company said the CMP blast furnace production shop’s coke requirements will be fully supplied.
A special commission has been formed to investigate the causes and after-effects of the accident.