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Fire at Lansing Board of Water and Light cooling tower

By Scott Pohl, WKAR

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-916853.mp3

LANSING, MI –

One of the cooling towers at the Lansing Board of Water and Light's main power plant was damaged in an early morning fire today.

WKAR's Scott Pohl reports.

AUDIO: Board spokesman Mark Nixon says flames were seen coming from the top of the tower at the Eckert Power Station shortly after 3 a.m.

Nixon says there were no injuries.

"We do know that there's considerable structural damage to the upper floor of the cooling tower," Nixon says, "and it's going to take some time just for us to investigate and determine how safe it is to be inside that structure."

Nixon says the remaining cooling towers should be able to handle the load while repairs are made. Water from the Grand River is used to produce steam. The steam condenses back to water, which must be brought down to a suitable temperature in the cooling towers before being returned to the river.

There isn't an estimate on repairs yet, but Nixon says the structure is insured.

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