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'No Radioactive Leak' After Explosion Rocks French Nuclear Plant

There was no nuclear risk, officials said.
A general view of the Flamanville nuclear facility, north-western France
Benoit Tessier / Reuters
A general view of the Flamanville nuclear facility, north-western France
File photo of the EDF Flamanville facility in north-western France
Bloomberg via Getty Images
File photo of the EDF Flamanville facility in north-western France

An explosion and fire at a French nuclear facility did not carry a nuclear risk, officials said.

French authorities reported an explosion at the Flamanville nuclear power plant in Normandy after 10 am local time (9 am GMT) on Thursday.

The blast, which caused several injuries, rocked the plant’s machine room but did not cause a radioactive leak, they said.

A general view of the Flamanville nuclear facility, north-western France
Benoit Tessier / Reuters
A general view of the Flamanville nuclear facility, north-western France

EDF Flamanville is the site of a new third-generation European Pressurised Water nuclear reactor, currently under construction.

The site already has two operational nuclear reactors.

Flamanville is close to the British Channel Islands, and is around 75 miles from the English south coast.

Flamanville is close to the British Channel Islands, and is around 75 miles from the English south coast
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Flamanville is close to the British Channel Islands, and is around 75 miles from the English south coast

Ouest-France newspaper reported that a rescue vehicle was sent to the Normandy facility.

A resulting fire was brought under control.

Five people had been slightly injured after inhaling smoke from a fire that broke out after the explosion, the Daily Telegraph reported.

“It is a significant technical event but it is not a nuclear accident,” Olivier Marmion, a senior regional official, told local media.

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