Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Fire Erupts at Nuclear Submarine in Russia’s Far East
RIA Novosti ^ | 09/16/2013 | RIA Novosti

Posted on 09/15/2013 11:28:17 PM PDT by TexGrill

VLADIVOSTOK, September 16 (RIA Novosti) - A fire that broke out Monday morning at the K-150 Tomsk nuclear-powered submarine, which was undergoing maintenance works at a dock in Russia’s far eastern Primorye Territory, has stabilized, a source at the headquarters of Russia's Pacific Fleet told RIA Novosti.

"The situation is being monitored. However, we can already say that the situation has improved, and the smoke is subsiding," the source said.

The fire erupted early Monday morning during welding operations on the submarine, a spokesman for the local Emergencies Ministry’s department said, adding that 13 firefighting units from the Pacific Fleet and the Emergencies Ministry had arrived at the scene to put out the blaze.

A spokesman for the Zvezda plant, where the submarine was undergoing maintenance operations, said the fire was unlikely to cause an explosion at the vessel and that there was no danger to nearby residential areas.

(Excerpt) Read more at en.rian.ru ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Military/Veterans; Science; Society
KEYWORDS: russiaeconomy
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021 next last
Global business tip
1 posted on 09/15/2013 11:28:17 PM PDT by TexGrill
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: TexGrill
Russian nuke sub accidents are a proud tradition in the Russian Navy. Kinda like a cultural icon.
2 posted on 09/15/2013 11:34:17 PM PDT by jmacusa (Political correctness is cultural Marxism. I'm not a Marxist.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jmacusa

One of our subs was destroyed by one of our sailors not too long ago.


3 posted on 09/15/2013 11:35:50 PM PDT by GeronL
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: GeronL

Check out the history of Russian nuke sub losses. The oceans floor is littered with them.


4 posted on 09/15/2013 11:39:48 PM PDT by jmacusa (Political correctness is cultural Marxism. I'm not a Marxist.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: jmacusa

>>>Russian nuke sub accidents are a proud tradition in the Russian Navy. Kinda like a cultural icon.<<<

They had too many of these subs. It contributes to a bad statistics.


5 posted on 09/15/2013 11:41:57 PM PDT by cunning_fish
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: GeronL

Not a sailor but a shipyard worker who wanted to go home early.


6 posted on 09/15/2013 11:55:23 PM PDT by Oldexpat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Oldexpat

just an insane reason to destroy a billion dollar submarine


7 posted on 09/15/2013 11:56:53 PM PDT by GeronL
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

Comment #8 Removed by Moderator

Comment #9 Removed by Moderator

To: TexGrill
There used to be a tongue-in-cheek joke that circulated among the Russian submariners:

“Question: How do you tell a sailor from the Northern Fleet [where a lot of Russia's SSN and SSBN fleet is located].
Answer: They glow in the dark.”

The radiation shielding around the reactors on many Soviet-era Northern Fleet SSN and SSBN boats was very bad. The boats would typically deploy for shortened patrols to reduce the chances of radiation poisoning for their crews.

Since the USN went nuclear in 1954 with the launch of USS NAUTILUS (SSN-571), there have been only two major accidents were boats were lost at sea: 1) USS THRESHER (SSN-593) [lost April 19, 1963] and USS SCORPION (SSN-589) [lost June 5, 1968].

The Soviets/Russians have lost six boats to date:

* K-27: The only Project 645 submarine, it was irreparably damaged by a reactor accident (control rod failure) on May 24, 1968. 9 were killed in the reactor accident. After shutting down the reactor and sealing the compartment, the Soviet Navy scuttled her in shallow water [108 ft (33 m)] in the Kara Sea on September 6, 1982, contrary to the recommendation of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
* K-8: A Project 627 November class submarine was lost April 11, 1970, while being towed in rough seas following a fire on board. The submarine was initially evacuated, but 52 crew reembarked for the towing operation. All hands on board were lost when the boat foundered, but 73 crewmen survived on the rescue vessel. Location: Bay of Biscay, 490 kilometers (260 nmi) northwest of Spain in the Atlantic Ocean.
* K-219: A Project 667A Yankee I class sub was damaged by a missile explosion October 3, 1986, then sank suddenly while being towed after all surviving crewmen had transferred off. 6 crew members were killed. Location: 950 kilometers (510 nmi) east of Bermuda in the North Atlantic Ocean.
* K-278 Komsomolets: The only Mike-class sub built sank due to a raging fire April 7, 1989. All but 5 crewmen evacuated prior to sinking. 42 perished, many from smoke inhalation and exposure to the cold waters of the Barents Sea. A total of 27 crew members survived.
* K-429: This Soviet submarine sank twice, but was raised after each incident.
* K-141 Kursk: The Oscar II class sub sank in the Barents Sea on August 12, 2000, after an explosion in the torpedo compartment. All 118 men on board were lost. However, all except the destroyed bow section was later salvaged.
* K-159: The hulk of the decommissioned Soviet-era November class submarine sank in the Barents Sea on August 28, 2003, when a storm ripped away the pontoons necessary to keep it afloat under tow. 9 men perished in the accident.

10 posted on 09/16/2013 1:20:24 AM PDT by MasterGunner01
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GeronL

I think there is a difference between damage caused by sabotage and damage caused by repeated design failures, poor training and maintenance incompetency.

I am not sure why you posted that comment.


11 posted on 09/16/2013 3:26:37 AM PDT by rlmorel (Silence: The New Hate Speech)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: GeronL
The US sub was destroyed by a worker who wanted the day off.

It wasn't a sailor!

But, of course, you have never let the facts stand in the way of your dogma, have you!

12 posted on 09/16/2013 4:01:15 AM PDT by Redleg Duke ("Madison, Wisconsin is 30 square miles surrounded by reality.", L. S. Dryfus)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: cunning_fish
In the days of the old Soviet Union they had more disasters then was ever known to the outside world. The subs already out in international waters couldn't be hidden from the West because they had to surface once the reactors were compromised. The K-19 was a really bad one and there was the tragedy of the Kursk. Life is pretty much worthless in Russia, at least in the days of the Party, the workers state really didn't give a rip about human life.
13 posted on 09/16/2013 6:08:02 AM PDT by jmacusa (Political correctness is cultural Marxism. I'm not a Marxist.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: F15Eagle

Yeah, and that’s even before they left port.


14 posted on 09/16/2013 6:08:57 AM PDT by jmacusa (Political correctness is cultural Marxism. I'm not a Marxist.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: TexGrill

"Andrei, you've lost another submarine?"

15 posted on 09/16/2013 6:09:58 AM PDT by dfwgator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MasterGunner01

The K-19 was a really bad one. There’s a mournful Russian navy ballad that was written about it.


16 posted on 09/16/2013 6:11:13 AM PDT by jmacusa (Political correctness is cultural Marxism. I'm not a Marxist.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Redleg Duke

?

what dogma?


17 posted on 09/16/2013 7:27:29 AM PDT by GeronL
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: dfwgator

18 posted on 09/16/2013 7:33:18 AM PDT by The Cajun (Sarah Palin, Mark Levin, Ted Cruz......Nuff said.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: The Cajun

I’ll do the pingin’ ‘round here... :-)


19 posted on 09/16/2013 7:45:05 AM PDT by Ramius (Personally, I give us one chance in three. More tea anyone?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: Ramius
How do you say aye, aye captain in Russian :)
20 posted on 09/16/2013 7:46:19 AM PDT by The Cajun (Sarah Palin, Mark Levin, Ted Cruz......Nuff said.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson