Pile of snow causes state of emergency at Chernobyl NPP

The roof and a wall of the engine room of the fourth unit of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant have collapsed. Most likely, the incident occurred because of snow that was accumulated on the industrial site.

The destruction area made up about 600 square meters. According to reports from the press service of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, there were no changes in the radiation background registered in the industrial area and in the exclusion zone. Officials with the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry confirmed that there was no threat to the public in connection with the state of emergency.

No one was hurt as a result of the incident. There were no violations of limits and conditions of safe operation of the object known as the Shelter.

The Chernobyl nuclear disaster took place in April 1986. There was the so-called "sarcophagus", aka "Shelter" built over the destroyed unit of the nuclear plant.