At least 20 people got killed in an accident that took place on board of a Russian nuclear submarine of the Pacific fleet, according to the declarations of Captain Igor Dygalo.
The accident was caused by a malfunction of the fire extinction system during some training procedures at sea. Russian officials have not given details on the submarine’s name or location, but they ensure that the nuclear reactor is fully functional and it has not been affected by the incident.
Admiral Vladímir Vysotski gave orders for the procedures to be ceased immediately, but gave no details on their nature.
The victims probably died asphyxiated, as on submarines the fire extinction procedures consist in hermetically sealing all the exits and spraying chemical substances that neutralize the oxygen in the affected area. In such cases, in order to survive, those present should wear gas masks.
According to sources from the Army, on board of the submarine there were 208 persons, out of whom only 81 were military; the rest were specialized workers.
Posted under International
This post was written by Dana Ciucalau on November 9, 2008
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