KARACHI, June 3: The third casting machine of the Pakistan Steel Mills — slab casting machine No 3 — resumed operation on Monday after cables of its electrical and automation control panel were repaired by engineers and technicians of the mills.

The machine had been turned off on Saturday because of damages to cables connecting control penal. The hot metal had penetrated through refractory plates resulting in a leakage.

The other two casting machines of the steel-making department, each of which is used for bloom casting and billet casting that had not been effected by the incident, remained in operation without any hindrance.

The slab casting machine No 2, which had also been turned off because of damages to cables of its control panel, shall resume production in a couple of days.

The steel-making department has four casting machines of which one or two are kept in operation whereas other two may remain in standby.—PPI