Dated: February 16, 2003
Dear All,
It's only been a week since I last wrote to U, but this last week has been so exciting that I just can't wait to share my experiences with U......... Probably, the best way I could have brought in my Valentines Day !!
For those who came in late.............. (this is a phrase right out from the most popular series of Phantom, the Ghost who walks...... Indrajal Comics), there was a Major incident of Fire on the evening of Feb 13th 2003 due to the rupture of a Gas Line of Mahanagar Gas Ltd., (incidentally the company where I work)............... near Kole Dongri, Jumbo Darshan which also incidentally falls right outside my Building Gate !!
The sequence of events on that eventful day are described as below:
1. The Background:
The BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corp) has recently insisted on the use of a new system of "Trenchless Technology" also called as "HDD-Horizontal Directional Drilling" or "HB-Horizontal Boring" which essentially means - No Open Excavation of Trenches". The process involves digging only 2 pits called a Launching pit and a Receiving pit at a distance of 50m, between which the molling tool is pushed......... creating a Hollow cavity. The utility pipe then could just be pushed thru this hollow cavity. This new process basically does away with the old practice of perennially digging the roads by different utility companies for their underground network lines. But the problem begins when utility companies do not know if there are other pipes already laid on the same route !!
2. The Evening of Feb 13th 2003
It is said that the people (supposed to be from an utility company dealing in Optical Fibre Cables - a Telecom major), started their HDD activity around 3.15pm in the afternoon. They got stuck at a rough patch (MGL pipeline) and could not proceed ahead. Flames were seen coming out from this Launching pit because of which they panicked and escaped from the place. The fire began at 6.15pm and eventually covered the entire junction of the road and spread over an area of 30 sq.m.
The above-statement was quite evident since on excavation of the exact location of rupture, we found that the Moling tool had pierced into the 90° elbow fitting of our 180mm dia main header pipeline operating at a pressure of 4kg/sq. cm (g).
The Fire Brigade people were the first to arrive on-site to be followed by our Emergency Crew at around 6.30pm and the entire area was cordoned-off by around 6.35pm. BSES shut-off the power supply to the entire area and the buildings were plunged into darkness............ though the light of the fire was sufficient for the people to get scared !! An MTNL junction box was burnt causing tripping of a lot of Telephone lines....!!
3. The people's reaction:
I reached the site by around 6.50pm and saw that the entire crowd was on the road. The media crew of Aaj Tak, had a van stationed near the spot and started a live broadcast of the event. They were checking to get some "Official statements" from the nearby people ............ cos for them it was nothing but a "hot-scoop/ Cover story item" !!
In the meantime, we (lead by our Tech Director - Chris Murphy) cut down on the source pressure of the Regulating station.....which slightly reduced the intensity of the fire and started our work on a temporary By-pass line which would maintain the Gas supply to the consumers on the downstream...... essentially people from Vile Parle and parts of Andheri (East). This was one of the biggest By-pass lines we have ever constructed........... measuring over 150m cos a normal by-pass is never more than 10m.....!!
The best part was the reaction from the general crowd..........
We had people who said that they were Civil Engineers and tried to calculate the amount of gas contained in the pipe.......using which they could calculate the time till which the fire would burn !!
There was a gentleman who explained to me that if we could not put-off the fire in the next 30mins, the fire would spread towards the "International Airport" and blow up Mumbai city causing havoc !!
Another lady said that she had contacts with Atal Bihari Vajpayee & was scheduled to meet Mr. Ram Naik the next day........... hence we should pay attention to what she says !!
A Sardar (no pun intended) told me that we should shut-off the supply to the entire Mumbai city as the source of Gas for this fire was somewhere in Chembur when in practicality the source was a mere 200m away near Andheri Station (Telli Gully) !!
Another gentlemen, probably from the defense background was explaining to me the applications of DCP-based Fire extinguishers (Dry Carbon Powder) and also told me that we could use a "Controlled-explosion" creating a partial vacuum so as to cut-off the Oxygen supply to the fire !!
All in all, the Emergency situation brought out the best in the general public....... !! The people supplied us (MGL + Police + Fire Brigade) with Food and Water, which was a great gesture on their part !!!!! The Spirit of Mumbai City !!
4. The Politicians:
This is one aspect which I have always hated ......... I mean it's dumb for people to try and gain leverage during times of Emergencies. I still believe, if U can't help, just get out of the way and do not hamper the work of the people who are trying to keep things under Control..........!!
We had visits from local MP - Sunil Dutt, local MLA - Suresh Shetty, the Home Minister - Kripashankar Singh and Mr Ram Naik - MoPNG (Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas) !!
Well, all they managed to do was come and deliver some ideal lectures to the public saying that they would initiate an Inquiry into the matter and see to it that the guilty is punished !! Even as I write this, the news says that the Central Govt. has appointed a Sub-committee to conduct an Inquiry into this matter !!
5. The Controlling of the Fire
We managed to construct, test and commission the By-pass lines by 12.35pm after which the fire area was isolated by squeezing off the supply lines !! The fire subsided at 1.10 am in the morning of Feb 14th ............ which marked My Valentine Day Celebrations !!
The Gas to the buildings affected was resumed at 1.30am in the morning.........a sign of our efficient efforts !! The very people who wanted to remove their Connections were asking if they could now start using the Gas......... which shows the die-hard spirit of the Mumbai public !!
6. The Post Fire Scene
There were visits by various Government agencies............. the Police, the Forensic Squad, BMC Ward Officers and Deputy Municipal Commissioner Mr Kunthe, Officers from GAIL, BSES Officers, MTNL Authorities, BEST Officers and others !!
We spent the entire Valentines Day rectifying the Leakage area and commissioning the permanent Gas pipelines....... which finally ended at 11.30pm in the night !!
7. The Team Effort
All in all, it was a great Team effort by MGL, the Fire Brigade Officers, the Police and last but not the least........ the local people who helped to keep things under CONTROL !!
The fire which raged for 7 hours was one of the biggest in Mumbai's history........ including 20 Fire tenders........ A ONCE IN A LIFE TIME EXPERIENCE !!
Hope I don't have a Valentine Day like this in the years to come............ !!
Regards,
Sandeep
Information contained in this E-MAIL being proprietary to Sandeep is 'privileged'
and intended for use only by the individual or entity to which it is
addressed. You may believe in the above-mentioned stuff at Ur own Risk & Cost.
Dear All,
It's only been a week since I last wrote to U, but this last week has been so exciting that I just can't wait to share my experiences with U......... Probably, the best way I could have brought in my Valentines Day !!
For those who came in late.............. (this is a phrase right out from the most popular series of Phantom, the Ghost who walks...... Indrajal Comics), there was a Major incident of Fire on the evening of Feb 13th 2003 due to the rupture of a Gas Line of Mahanagar Gas Ltd., (incidentally the company where I work)............... near Kole Dongri, Jumbo Darshan which also incidentally falls right outside my Building Gate !!
The sequence of events on that eventful day are described as below:
1. The Background:
The BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corp) has recently insisted on the use of a new system of "Trenchless Technology" also called as "HDD-Horizontal Directional Drilling" or "HB-Horizontal Boring" which essentially means - No Open Excavation of Trenches". The process involves digging only 2 pits called a Launching pit and a Receiving pit at a distance of 50m, between which the molling tool is pushed......... creating a Hollow cavity. The utility pipe then could just be pushed thru this hollow cavity. This new process basically does away with the old practice of perennially digging the roads by different utility companies for their underground network lines. But the problem begins when utility companies do not know if there are other pipes already laid on the same route !!
2. The Evening of Feb 13th 2003
It is said that the people (supposed to be from an utility company dealing in Optical Fibre Cables - a Telecom major), started their HDD activity around 3.15pm in the afternoon. They got stuck at a rough patch (MGL pipeline) and could not proceed ahead. Flames were seen coming out from this Launching pit because of which they panicked and escaped from the place. The fire began at 6.15pm and eventually covered the entire junction of the road and spread over an area of 30 sq.m.
The above-statement was quite evident since on excavation of the exact location of rupture, we found that the Moling tool had pierced into the 90° elbow fitting of our 180mm dia main header pipeline operating at a pressure of 4kg/sq. cm (g).
The Fire Brigade people were the first to arrive on-site to be followed by our Emergency Crew at around 6.30pm and the entire area was cordoned-off by around 6.35pm. BSES shut-off the power supply to the entire area and the buildings were plunged into darkness............ though the light of the fire was sufficient for the people to get scared !! An MTNL junction box was burnt causing tripping of a lot of Telephone lines....!!
3. The people's reaction:
I reached the site by around 6.50pm and saw that the entire crowd was on the road. The media crew of Aaj Tak, had a van stationed near the spot and started a live broadcast of the event. They were checking to get some "Official statements" from the nearby people ............ cos for them it was nothing but a "hot-scoop/ Cover story item" !!
In the meantime, we (lead by our Tech Director - Chris Murphy) cut down on the source pressure of the Regulating station.....which slightly reduced the intensity of the fire and started our work on a temporary By-pass line which would maintain the Gas supply to the consumers on the downstream...... essentially people from Vile Parle and parts of Andheri (East). This was one of the biggest By-pass lines we have ever constructed........... measuring over 150m cos a normal by-pass is never more than 10m.....!!
The best part was the reaction from the general crowd..........
We had people who said that they were Civil Engineers and tried to calculate the amount of gas contained in the pipe.......using which they could calculate the time till which the fire would burn !!
There was a gentleman who explained to me that if we could not put-off the fire in the next 30mins, the fire would spread towards the "International Airport" and blow up Mumbai city causing havoc !!
Another lady said that she had contacts with Atal Bihari Vajpayee & was scheduled to meet Mr. Ram Naik the next day........... hence we should pay attention to what she says !!
A Sardar (no pun intended) told me that we should shut-off the supply to the entire Mumbai city as the source of Gas for this fire was somewhere in Chembur when in practicality the source was a mere 200m away near Andheri Station (Telli Gully) !!
Another gentlemen, probably from the defense background was explaining to me the applications of DCP-based Fire extinguishers (Dry Carbon Powder) and also told me that we could use a "Controlled-explosion" creating a partial vacuum so as to cut-off the Oxygen supply to the fire !!
All in all, the Emergency situation brought out the best in the general public....... !! The people supplied us (MGL + Police + Fire Brigade) with Food and Water, which was a great gesture on their part !!!!! The Spirit of Mumbai City !!
4. The Politicians:
This is one aspect which I have always hated ......... I mean it's dumb for people to try and gain leverage during times of Emergencies. I still believe, if U can't help, just get out of the way and do not hamper the work of the people who are trying to keep things under Control..........!!
We had visits from local MP - Sunil Dutt, local MLA - Suresh Shetty, the Home Minister - Kripashankar Singh and Mr Ram Naik - MoPNG (Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas) !!
Well, all they managed to do was come and deliver some ideal lectures to the public saying that they would initiate an Inquiry into the matter and see to it that the guilty is punished !! Even as I write this, the news says that the Central Govt. has appointed a Sub-committee to conduct an Inquiry into this matter !!
5. The Controlling of the Fire
We managed to construct, test and commission the By-pass lines by 12.35pm after which the fire area was isolated by squeezing off the supply lines !! The fire subsided at 1.10 am in the morning of Feb 14th ............ which marked My Valentine Day Celebrations !!
The Gas to the buildings affected was resumed at 1.30am in the morning.........a sign of our efficient efforts !! The very people who wanted to remove their Connections were asking if they could now start using the Gas......... which shows the die-hard spirit of the Mumbai public !!
6. The Post Fire Scene
There were visits by various Government agencies............. the Police, the Forensic Squad, BMC Ward Officers and Deputy Municipal Commissioner Mr Kunthe, Officers from GAIL, BSES Officers, MTNL Authorities, BEST Officers and others !!
We spent the entire Valentines Day rectifying the Leakage area and commissioning the permanent Gas pipelines....... which finally ended at 11.30pm in the night !!
7. The Team Effort
All in all, it was a great Team effort by MGL, the Fire Brigade Officers, the Police and last but not the least........ the local people who helped to keep things under CONTROL !!
The fire which raged for 7 hours was one of the biggest in Mumbai's history........ including 20 Fire tenders........ A ONCE IN A LIFE TIME EXPERIENCE !!
Hope I don't have a Valentine Day like this in the years to come............ !!
Regards,
Sandeep
Information contained in this E-MAIL being proprietary to Sandeep is 'privileged'
and intended for use only by the individual or entity to which it is
addressed. You may believe in the above-mentioned stuff at Ur own Risk & Cost.
No comments:
Post a Comment