CBRN event in India on Sun 17th November 2002

On Sunday, the 17.11.2002 early morning around 0415 hrs, there was a blast in the thermo syphon evaporator unit of Natural Uranium Oxide Fuel Plant (NUOFP) at Nuclear Fuel Complex Hyderabad, which concentrates Uranyl Nitrate Solution. This unit is under use since the inception of NUOFP (more than 4 years). About 100 litres of solution containing 100 gm per litre of Uranium spilled in the floor of the Plant. The spilled solution has been later cleaned and floor has been de-contaminated. There was no injury to the plant personnel. There was no permanent damage to the building and the neighboring equipments. However, because of the shock wave, window glass, asbestos sheets and the metal shutters were damaged. There has been no release of radioactivity outside the Plant. The event is out of scale on INES.