A fire broke out in the control room of the IEA-R1 nuclear research reactorlocated at the Institute of Energy and Nuclear Research (Ipen), in São Paulo, on March 24th and 25th. The case is being investigated by the National Nuclear Safety Authority (ANSN), which sent inspectors to the site to assess the damage and possible risks.
According to ANSN, the fire was localized in nature and affected a set of racks in the installation. The flames affected the cabling under the floor and reached the ceiling at a specific point in the room.. A nearby chair was also hit by the fire.
The inspectors accessed the control room accompanied by the operator’s radiological protection team and verified the absence of radiological risk associated with the event”, says the note from the nuclear authority.
Despite this, ANSN highlighted points of attention related to occupational safety. There is concern about the possible inhalation of chemical residues generated by burning materials and soot accumulated in the environment. For this reason, specialized industrial cleaning will be necessary before full resumption of activities on site.
The agency reported that will continue to monitor the case through inspections and technical checksin order to guarantee the safety conditions of the installation. The IEA-R1 reactor is used for research and production of radioisotopes, being one of the main facilities of its type in the country.
Ipen is a technical-scientific unit of Cnen (National Nuclear Energy Commission). When contacted, the agency sent a divergent note. According to the agency, no fire was found, but rather the presence of dense smoke in the facility’s control room.
“No source of fire was found, but rather the presence of dense smoke in the installation’s control room. Initial evidence indicates the possibility of overheating in distribution panels, containing electrical components.”
