Fire Near Chernobyl Today

[kmq@cosmail1.ctd.ornl.gov (Kim McMahan)]

This just came in from a local source:

........
The Associated Press is reporting a major fire near the Chernobyl plant in
the Ukraine.  The report has engulfed five villages and threatens to spread
radioactive dust outside the 18-mile exclusion zone.  There is no
information regarding the cause of the fire.
........

It's also posted on NBC and CNN web pages, so it doesn't appear to be a
joke. The CNN page has the most information (http://www.cnn.com). Apparently
this isn't the first nearby fire, but it's more "timely."

Kim McMahan, CHP
Office of Radiation Protection
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Phone:  (423) 576-1566
e-mail: mcmahankl@ornl.gov