Icebreaker Vaigach Accident: Radiation Background Normal

16.12.2011 The fire occurred in living cabins of Russian nuclear-powered icebreaker Vaigach on Dec 14 at 10.58 pm when escorting the ship Kapitan Danilkin 70 miles northward port of Dudinka along the Yenisei River. On Dec 15 at 2.35 am the active fire was localized and by 4.30 am completely neutralized.

Nuclear reactor of the icebreaker works normally. Neither failures nor operational imperfections of the nuclear reactor were detected, radiation background is normal.

Fist-class engineer P.S. Bazhukov and chief foreman V.A. Morozov died when extinguishing the fire. Backup watch engineer A.D. Shevchenko was evacuated to Dudinka with burns of upper respiratory tracts.

Officers of local procuracy had arrived on the ship later. Investigators decided to hold an inquiry into the accident in the territory of Krasnoyarsk region, so the icebreaker set a course for the port of Dudinka.

JSC Rosatomflot decided to render at least RUR 1 mln of material support to family of each died sailor.