Explosion at Polish nuclear research lab

A fire broke out at a state laboratory for nuclear research in the Polish city of Otwock on December 18.

The facility is part of the NCBJ center for nuclear research, one of the largest research institutes in Poland. According to Polish media, the blaze that occured only 23 kilometers outside of the Polish capital has since been extinguished, Caliber.Az reports.

“The emergency services at the nuclear center acted very quickly. Firefighters and police were on the scene,” said Dariusz Socha, NCBJ's Deputy Director for Economic Affairs.

He clarified that there was no threat to nuclear safety and that the facility affected by the fire is located at a significant distance from the MARIA nuclear reactor used for research purposes. Socha ensured the public that the reactor has not been exposed to the nearby fire and remains safe.  

A senior official of the region's fire department told the media outlet that two people have been hospitalized but remain in stable condition.

Polish media have published unverified reports which claim that an explosion occured in the basement of a two-story brick building during a scientific experiment, during which approx. 10 liters of flammable material detonated. 

By Nazrin Sadigova