Ukraine reports massive fire near Chernobyl NPP's Exclusion zone

A massive fire broke out in the forest near the site of the world's worst nuclear disaster Chernobyl nuclear plant, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service informed on May 17, Tuesday. The blazes by Wednesday spread to the plant’s Exclusion Zone and the Ukraine deployed more than a dozen firefighters and four units of equipment to control the disaster. According to the State Emergency Service, the fire started at around  2:10 am local time, and had localised on an area of 45 hectares. 

"At 02:10 on May 18, the fire was localized on an area of 45 hectares.As of 09:00 there is decay of dry grass and stumps,” Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said on Telegram. 

The fire had spread to the Chernobyl’s Exclusion Zone onto large swathes. The flames burnt several metres high as the rescue workers wearing protective face masks and gear attempted to douse the flames. Ukraine’s state emergency service shared the dramatic footage of the fire on its Telegram channel. "May 17 near the village,” they wrote in the caption. Further, the fire service informed that the incident had occurred In the forest of Vyshhorod district. The forest litter caught fire, and “our firefighters rescued a local resident,” the post on Telegram messaging app read. As many as sixteen rescuers and four units were involved in the firefighting techniques. 

Chernobyl Exclusion Zone is officially designated as 'risk prone'

Stretching approximately 1,000 square mile area, the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone is an officially designated as risk prone located around the site of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster. Russian forces had seized the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and had held the staff hostage. Russian soldiers had also confiscated the facilities in the Exclusion Zone, and had marched in two columns towards the Ukrainian border. The 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster involved a gigantic explosion that had ripped through the No.4 reactor at Chernobyl.

At least 30 people were declared dead immediately from the disaster. After having captured the site the Russian troops announced a hand over of the facility to the Ukrainian personnel. A representative of Russia's National Guard from Russia's state nuclear energy company Rosatom and a Chernobyl plant shift manager had posted a letter announcing the departure of Russian troops from the plant. The letter was titled: "The act of acceptance and transfer of protection of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant."