Fire at British nuclear plant brought under control

HARTLEPOOL, England, Apr 21, 2013 -- UPI

A fire that broke out at the Hartlepool, England, nuclear power plant was brought under control with no danger to nearby residents, emergency officials said.

Police and fire crews were called to the plant at approximately 6:30 p.m. local time Saturday due to a blaze that broke out in the turbine hall of unit 2, Britain's The Guardian reported Sunday. The fire started when a turbine was being reactivated.

Smoke billowed from the plant, but police said it drifted away from nearby homes, causing no danger to residents.

"During incidents such as this, there are several procedures that take place including the venting of steam generators. This particular process causes noise, which residents of nearby areas such as Seaton Carew may hear," a statement from the fire department said.

"The fire was quickly brought under control and any residual smouldering extinguished at 7.53 p.m.," said a spokesman for EDF Energy, which runs the facility.

"There were no injuries as a result of this incident and there is no threat to the public or staff," the spokesman added. "Unit 1 at the power station continues to operate normally."

The cause of the fire was not reported.

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