A fire has flared up in a forest located in the Chernobyl exclusion zone, Ukraine’s emergencies service reported. The fire has engulfed an area of 5 hectares near the village of Bychki on the territory of the "Severnaya Puscha" establishment.
Some 18 people have taken part in extinguishing the fire along with three firefighting units.
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The Chernobyl plant, named after V.I. Lenin, was the first ever nuclear power plant built on Ukrainian soil. On the night of 25-26 April 1986, a failed experiment aimed at testing new equipment resulted in a blast that destroyed the reactor's core, igniting a fire that continued to burn for over a week. The explosion was followed by the spew of radioactive gases, and dust into the air. The Chernobyl explosion left its mark on history as one of the worst ever nuclear accidents.
