Russia says 15 hospitalised after nuclear sub fire

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http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Russia_says_15_hospitalised_after_nuclear_sub_fire_999.html

Russia says 15 hospitalised after nuclear sub fire
by Staff Writers
Moscow (AFP) Sept 17, 2013

Russian investigators on Tuesday said 15 servicemen had been hospitalised after a fire during repairs on a nuclear-powered submarine in the Far East, with the vessel sustaining significant damage.

The Russian Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes in Russia, said it had opened a criminal probe into suspected abuse of authority over the fire on the Tomsk submarine in the Bolshoi Kamen shipyard in the Russian Far East.

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However a source familiar with the situation told the Interfax news agency in Moscow Tuesday of the near-farcical circumstances as workers on the scene unsuccessfully tried to put out the fire.

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Russia's ageing fleet of nuclear-powered submarines has long been the subject of safety concerns. The rubberised coating on the Delta IV class submarine Yekaterinburg caught fire in a major blaze in December 2011, injuring nine people.

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1. Tomsk nuclear submarine fire: Nothing but negligence

http://english.pravda.ru/news/hotspots/16-09-2013/125668-tomsk_nuclear_submarine-0/

Tomsk nuclear submarine fire: Nothing but negligence
16.09.2013 | Source: Pravda.Ru

The Tomsk nuclear submarine, which was docked for repairs at Zvezda shipyard in Bolshoy Kamen, caught fire. Chief editor of National Defense magazine Igor Korotchenko spoke with Pravda.Ru about possible causes and consequences of the fire.

"The reasons of the fire are obvious - I think it is a violation of safety rules during repairs, particularly in gas welding. The human factor, coupled with failure to adhere to instructions and safety regulations was the factor that led to the fire. Human negligence and carelessness - that's the main reason.

"I would like to hope that the losses will be minimal, but practice shows that fires on board submarines typically require billions of rubles for the liquidation of their consequences. Moreover, it takes years to have the submarine on service again. It would take a very significant financial investment to bring the sub back to the combat-ready condition - billions of rubles. But this is a preliminary forecast, of course.

"The last time a similar incident took place on board the Yekaterinburg submarine. However, two fires on two nuclear subs under repair suggest that this is becoming a trend. Therefore, after the most recent case, it is necessary to draw organizational and tactical conclusions, not to let it occur again.