Surat crematorium chimney bends from overheating

Surat: Continuous use and overheating at Kurukshetra Crematorium (KC) led to the bending of a chimney on Tuesday. However, no injury or damage to the adjoining structure was reported, while the crematorium administrators are trying to divert smoke to the adjoining chimney to continue use of the gas furnace.
“The gas furnace has been in use continuously for the past many days which led to the heating up of the chimney and finally becoming bent. It will be repaired soon and brought in use again,” said Kamlesh Sailor, president of the crematorium.
Sailor, who is, however, currently under quarantine himself due to Covid-19 infection further said that the bending did not create any disturbance in the cremation process which went on with existing facilities.
At present KC has five gas furnaces and eight wooden pyre stands. On an average 60 bodies are being cremated at the crematorium which is located in the city’s outskirts in Jahangirpura. KC is the farthest of the three biggest crematoriums in the city, but due to the high number of deaths since the second wave of Covid-19 started it too has been burning literally round the clock.
Four new wooden pyre stands have been installed which were commissioned into service from Tuesday. “Process to install six other wooden pyre stands is continuing and will be brought in use by next week,” said Sailor adding that thereafter two separate sections will be created for Covid bodies and non-Covid bodies.