Chennai: The Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
on Monday said an expert team probing the cause of the fire mishap
at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Mumbai last week,
which left two researchers dead, would soon be able to
identify the "scientific reason" that caused the accident.
All possibilities, including electrical short circuit
were being analysed, AEC Chairman Sreekumar Banerjee told
reporters on the sidelines of 20th Annual Conference of the
Indian Nuclear Society here.
"Experts with great knowledge in fire safety and
potential are examining the cause of the accident. I hope they
will be soon able to identify the scientific reason," he said.
The probe by the team, besides investigation by police
and forensic experts, was being "done in great detail", he
said, adding that it was also being ascertained as to what and
how much of chemicals could enter the lab.
The lab had two spectrometres and some chemicals for
preparatory work, but "there was no large inventory of
chemicals or gas or hydrogen cylinders or inflammables" that
could have caused the fire, he said.
Specialists were trying to build up a scientific
explanation on how the fire was "introduced", Banerjee, who
was present at BARC on the day of the mishap, said.
He said it is an "unsolved question before us" why the
two victims could not flee the area when the fire broke out
even though "the room was not closed."
Asked whether a short circuit could have caused the fire,
Banerjee said the possibility has not been excluded. The
victims were "good researchers" and their death was
unfortunate, he said.
On the recent Kaiga power plant incident where tritiated
water mixed in a water cooler made some employees sick, he
said they were assisting in probing the "criminal act".
"Somebody has pushed it deliberately, (which) is a
criminal act of a miscreant. While the place is not
accessible, we are seeing the entry point (as part of the
probe). There were a number of people on the corridor and we
have to find out the culprit from among them which is not an
easy job," he said.
On the delay in the Koodankulam power plant project in
Tamil Nadu, Banerjee said talks were on at the highest level
to ensure that there was no delay in delivery of components
and installation for the 1,000 MW Russia-collaborated project.
With the arrival of some required cables later this
month, the reactor is expected to go critical by mid-2010, he
said.
PTI
