Gas leakage kills two at Pakistan nuclear plant, say officials

Gas leakage kills two at Pakistan nuclear plant, say officials

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Two workers were killed Tuesday after a gas leakage at a Pakistani nuclear facility, the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission said in a statement.
The accident took place at the Khushab heavy water plant, which had been shut down for annual maintenance, the commission said, adding that it was immediately evacuated and there was no threat to the public.

"(The) situation was immediately brought under control and two workers lost their lives while controlling the incident," the commission said in a statement.

"There is no threat to public life as all the leaking gas has been burnt in the flare system of the plant," it added.

The town of Khushab is located some 240 kilometres (150 miles) southwest of the Pakistani capital, Islamabad.

Orders have been issued to find out the cause of accident, the statement said. It did not give further details but private television channels said a blast occurred in the hydrogen phosphate cylinders used in the production of heavy water.

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Makes you wonder what really happened. Here in st lucie county there was a hydrogen leak not to long ago but there wasn't anybody killed from a blast when it happened.www.tcpalm.com...They said it was the lowest level type of unusual event emergency. Not something you eqate to a explosion and two workers dead.


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[edit on 8-4-2008 by JBA2848]

It sounds like the leaking fuel ignited causing the blast and killing the two men. However, the thought of a blast inside a nuclear facility isn't exactly comforting. Why a fuel leak is considered a low level type emergency is also food for thought, as I can see that being very dangerous, as obviously it was since 2 lost their lives.