Fire engulfs Russian nuclear sub, no radiation leak reported
Last Updated: 4:55 PM, December 29, 2011
Posted: 4:54 PM, December 29, 2011
MOSCOW -- Fire engulfed one of Russia's biggest nuclear submarines while it was being repaired Thursday, sending flames and smoke billowing into the sky, but officials said all weapons had been removed and no radiation leak was reported.
Emergency workers launched a massive operation to douse the flames after the blaze broke out on the Yekaterinburg while it was docked in the northern Murmansk region near Russia's border with Norway.
The sub had all of its nuclear missiles and conventional rockets removed before entering the Roslyakovo dock, a defense ministry spokesman said, adding that its two reactors had been switched off well in advance and there was "no threat of a nuclear radiation leak."
The fire broke out on wooden scaffolding surrounding the submarine and spread to its outer hull, Northern Fleet navy spokesman Vadim Serga told the Interfax news agency.
"There is no threat to the onboard equipment," he added.
Eleven fire brigades and a navy fire boat were involved in the salvage operation, but television footage showed huge clouds of smoke billowing from the shipyard even after the flames had been contained.
Emergency workers launched a massive operation to douse the flames after the blaze broke out on the Yekaterinburg while it was docked in the northern Murmansk region near Russia's border with Norway.
The sub had all of its nuclear missiles and conventional rockets removed before entering the Roslyakovo dock, a defense ministry spokesman said, adding that its two reactors had been switched off well in advance and there was "no threat of a nuclear radiation leak."
The fire broke out on wooden scaffolding surrounding the submarine and spread to its outer hull, Northern Fleet navy spokesman Vadim Serga told the Interfax news agency.
"There is no threat to the onboard equipment," he added.
Eleven fire brigades and a navy fire boat were involved in the salvage operation, but television footage showed huge clouds of smoke billowing from the shipyard even after the flames had been contained.
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/fire_engulfs_russian_nuclear_sub_z0NOOBhE05uyJyOY3kyC9L#ixzz1hyA7gPzk
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