Russia tests rocket engine, 5 people killed
Russia's Rosatom nuclear energy corporation confirmed early this morning that five of its employees were killed and three others suffered severe burns during a rocket engine test at a military testing site in northern Russia.
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| Illustration photo: Rosatom Global |
According toRTThe accident occurred on August 8 when an explosion and fire broke out during rocket engine tests at a test site in the Arkhangelsk region of northern Russia. The Russian Defense Ministry initially said two people had died in the accident.
“As a result of an accident at a testing site in the Arkhangelsk region, five people were killed during tests of a liquid-fuel propulsion system. Three other colleagues were injured with burns,” Rosatom confirmed.
Rosatom added that the accident occurred while its employees were performing design and engineering work on isotope sources for rocket engines.
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| The explosion occurred in the Arkhangelsk region in northern Russia. Graphics: BBC |
RTThe explosion reportedly caused a brief spike in radiation levels but they quickly returned to normal.
Before Rosatom's confirmation today, Russian officials said two people had died in the accident and a nearby city had reported increased radiation levels when the rocket engine exploded during the test,Reutersreport
Officials said they were forced to close part of a bay in the White Sea to marine traffic as a result of the accident.
Local media reported that locals had stockpiled iodine used to reduce the effects of radiation exposure after the accident.
According toSputnikThe accident occurred at a military unit in the administrative town of Nenoksa in the Arkhangelsk region. Russian media sources said that an area in Nenoksa is also used for weapons testing, including ballistic and cruise missiles used by the Russian Navy.