MOSCOW, April 7. /TASS/. Russia’s Investigative Committee has launched a criminal case over the fire at the Oryol (K-266) nuclear submarine (Project 949A Antey) in the city of Severodvinsk in northwest Russia's Arkhangelsk Region, the regional department of the Investigative Committee said Tuesday.
The case was launched under the Russian Criminal Code’s Article "Violation of safety regulations during work, which entailed large-scale damage due to negligence."
"Today, a fire occurred at the Zvyozdochka shipyard in Severodvinsk during repair work in the interhull space on the stern of the Oryol nuclear submarine, which resulted in large-scale damage," the committee said.
According to preliminary data, there is no threat to the life and health of people, as well as to environmental safety. Investigators are working at the site.
The Zvyozdochka shipyard’s press service said earlier Tuesday that the nuclear sub lying up caught fire at about 14:00 Moscow Time during welding work. All people on board - employees of the enterprise and submarine personnel - left the submarine quickly and in an organized way, no one was injured.
It said nuclear fuel from the atom-powered vessel had been unloaded and there were no armaments on board. The sub has been undergoing a major overhaul at the shipyard since November 2013, as a result of which it is to receive new missile weapons.