The Bhutan Power Corporation’s investigation of the Damchhu forest fire has found no evidence linking the fire to electrical malfunctions. The investigation confirmed that the fire was not caused by a transformer short circuit. According to the investigation, the power line tripping was due to the fire’s proximity and not the cause of the blaze.
According to BPC’s findings, the fire had already started and was spreading in the area before the power lines tripped.
The finding further states that the fire was first spotted at 1:17 PM by a resident, well before the 33-kilovolt Damchhu feeder tripped or went out at 1:31 PM when strong winds brought down trees that short-circuited the feeder line.
The BPC clarified that the tripping was a direct result of this, and not from any electrical fault within the transformer.
According to the investigation, the fire had spread through the region which led to temporary disruptions in the electrical supply to areas like Paro and Haa.
The investigation further states that despite initial delays in restoring power, BPC re-established the transmission network within hours, using alternate lines to maintain the power supply.
The investigation found no faults in the transformers, which were inspected immediately after the incident.
The report confirmed that the transformers were operational and in good condition. They said that had the fire been caused by a short circuit in the transformer, significant damage would have been observed, but the equipment was fully functional once the power was restored.
BPC’s investigation concluded that the power line tripping was a precautionary measure to ensure safety during the fire’s spread.
Meanwhile, the Department of Forests and Park Services is also carrying out a separate investigation of its own and has yet to compile a report on the damage from the forest fire.
The blaze, which started last Thursday and was contained by Sunday destroyed eight houses and destroyed hundreds of acres of forestland.
Jamyang Loday
Edited by Sonam Pem
