UNMIK/PR/375

PRESS RELEASE - 1 October 2000

ARSON SUSPECTED AT TREPCA LEAD SMELTER

MITROVICA - A fire in an electrical substation at the Trepca lead smelter in northern Mitrovica Saturday night destroyed four transformers that supplied power to the plant and also to the nearby town of Zvecan.

Police said they were treating the case as one of suspected arson. Engineers reported that the switch breakers on the transformers operated correctly which meant that the blaze had not started through an electrical fault.

The fire was detected around 10.15 pm and firefighters from the Mitrovica North station, who were quickly on the scene , were joined by UNMIK emergency response personnel and  KFOR fire-fighting units. The fire, which was burning from the base of each of the transformers, was extinguished at about 11.30 pm.

KFOR detection units reported that no toxic elements had escaped during the fire and further tests early Sunday showed the air quality was normal.

Immediately after the fire started, an unruly group of civilians made their way inside the Trepca compound and threatened UNMIK civilian workers, one of whose motor vehicle was set alight and totally destroyed. It is unknown how and when the group entered the plant grounds.

UNMIK engineers and specialists from the ITT consortium that is now running all Trepca operations are assessing the damage to the sub station and drawing up plans to restore power to Zvecan as soon as possible.  In the meantime, UNMIK is arranging delivery of generators to essential services in Zvecan and nearby villages, such as the local health house and schools.

"We're doing all we can to mitigate the impact on the local population," said UNMIK Senior Adviser Eric Chevallier. "Whatever the motive of the extremists who carried out this outrageous act, it is the people of Zvecan who are suffering."