jan 1, 1961 - K-19 nuclear accident

Description:

K-19 was conducting exercises in the North Atlantic off the south-east coast of Greenland. At 04:15 local time the pressure in the starboard nuclear reactor's cooling system dropped to zero. The reactor department crew found a major leak in the reactor coolant system, causing the coolant pumps to fail. The boat could not contact Moscow and request assistance because a separate accident had damaged the long-range radio system. The control rods were automatically inserted by the emergency SCRAM system, but the reactor temperature rose uncontrollably. Decay heat from fission products produced during normal operation eventually heated the reactor to 800 °C. The accident released radioactive steam containing fission products that were drawn into the ship's ventilation system and spread to other compartments of the ship.

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