Antinuclear

Lucas Heights nuclear reactor shut down. Fire has been brought under control

“The OPAL reactor is shut down and is safe.

Some sources say that the fire broke out as the city sweltered through a heat wave, which has caused dozens of bushfires, but the ANSTO saidthe incident was not related to the current weather conditions.

Fire has broken out at a nuclear research facility in Sydney, but its
operators say the blaze has been brought under
control.http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/01/08/282384/fire-breaks-out-at-sydney-nfacility/
The fire broke out at the Lucas Heights nuclear plant in southern
Sydney on Tuesday (local time)
The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization (ANSTO)
raised the alarm at 10.36 a.m. local time (12.36 p.m. NZT) after smoke
was detected in an electrical substation at the rear of the facility,
which contains two nuclear reactors.

Three fire crews and a hazardous materials unit were sent to the scene
where they found the substation still smoke-logged, according to the
state fire service.

“There was smoke evident in two rooms, they’re doing smoke extraction
and then they’re cooling,” a spokesman said.

The ANSTO said in a statement that the on-site fire crews
“extinguished what was believed to be a fire in electrical wiring,”
and that it posed no threat to the plant.

“The OPAL reactor is shut down and is safe. The issue was dealt with
within around one hour, no injuries have been reported, and there is
no ongoing issue at the site,” the statement further said.

Some sources say that the fire broke out as the city sweltered through
a heat wave, which has caused dozens of bushfires, but the ANSTO said
the incident was not related to the current weather conditions.

The ANSTO is currently undertaking an investigation to determine the
exact cause of the fire.

January 8, 2013 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | New South Wales, safety