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Russian nuclear submarine, Yekaterinburg, in dock fire | Russian nuclear submarine, Yekaterinburg, in dock fire |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A fire has broken out during repairs to a Russian nuclear submarine at a shipyard near the northern port of Murmansk. | |
The Russian Emergency Ministry said there had been no leak of radiation, and nobody was injured. | |
The Yekaterinburg submarine was being repaired when wooden structures in the dock caught fire and the flames spread to the vessel, say Russian media. | |
Eleven fire crews and a navy launch fought the blaze. | |
Local media reports said a helicopter was also used. | |
'Fire cannot spread' | |
The Russian defence ministry said the nuclear reactors on the vessel were already shut down when the fire broke out. | |
"The power unit was switched off and is now safe," a defence ministry spokesman, Igor Konashenkov, told Russian state television. | "The power unit was switched off and is now safe," a defence ministry spokesman, Igor Konashenkov, told Russian state television. |
"The fire spread to the sub's light outer hull. The fire cannot spread into the sub," he said. | "The fire spread to the sub's light outer hull. The fire cannot spread into the sub," he said. |
"There is no threat to onboard technical equipment." | "There is no threat to onboard technical equipment." |
Russian defence officials said all weapons had been removed from the submarine before it entered the dock. | Russian defence officials said all weapons had been removed from the submarine before it entered the dock. |
The Yekaterinburg is a Delta-IV-class nuclear submarine. It was commissioned by the Soviet Union in 1985 and can carry 16 intercontinental ballistic missiles. | |
Safety on Russian navy submarines is a sensitive issue for the military following the Kursk disaster in August 2000. | Safety on Russian navy submarines is a sensitive issue for the military following the Kursk disaster in August 2000. |
The Kursk nuclear submarine sank in the Barents Sea off north-west Russia, killing all 118 seamen on board. | |
Investigators concluded that an explosion of fuel from one of its torpedoes caused the sinking. | Investigators concluded that an explosion of fuel from one of its torpedoes caused the sinking. |