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Defense Ministry’s special commission investigates Tomsk submarine fire

Fire extinguished, no injuries reported

Photo Regional Information Agency PrimaMedia

Photo Regional Information Agency PrimaMedia

MOSCOW, September 16 (Itar-Tass) - The fire that broke out at the Tomsk nuclear-powered submarine on Monday morning, has been extinguished. Nobody has been injured in the incident, the press service of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) told Itar-Tass.

“By 09:30 MSK the fire was put out, 10 fire-fighting brigades continue to water the submarine’s inter-hull space,” the USC reported.

Russia's Defense Ministry’s special commission is investigating the cause of a fire on the Tomsk nuclear submarine, which is currently under repair at the Zvezda shipyard in the Primorsky Krai, the Defense Ministry’s press service reported on Monday.

“According to preliminary data, the fire was caused by violation of safety rules during welding operations,” the press service said.

According to the ministry, “A fire broke out at a dock of the Zvezda shipyard on Monday during repair work on the Tomsk nuclear-powered submarine. When the fire source was located, the personnel were evacuated from the dock; nobody was injured,” the Defense Ministry noted.

According to the Defense Ministry, the submarine had been docked for repairs in 2009; since 2012 it has been undergoing repairs in a dock of the shipyard.

“The nuclear reactor had been shut down before the submarine’s docking, and the weapons had been removed from the submarine,” the ministry added.

The fire has been extinguished.

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