Two research fellows died after a fire broke out in a laboratory of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in northeast Mumbai on Tuesday. The BARC clarified that its nuclear reactors were safe and there was no radioactive leak.
The dead are Umang Singh of Mumbai and Partha Bagh from
Kolkata, both 25 and Ph.D students of radiochemistry.
Sources said there were helium and nitrogen cylinders in the lab, which are likely to have exploded. It took firefighters 45 minutes to control the fire, which could have resulted in a major disaster, they added.
“It could be an accident or a short circuit,” said additional commissioner of police Ritesh Kumar. He added that the duo was conducting an experiment when the fire broke out in the Modular Laboratory building.
“The police have started investigations. So has BARC,” said S.K. Malhotra, head of BARC’s public awareness division.
The incident has made some BARC scientists nervous. “Safety levels at the Modular Laboratory are poor and should be reviewed,” said a scientist, requesting anonymity.