Part of Train Carrying Nuclear Fuel Derails; No Public Peril
Part of a train carrying spent nuclear fuel derailed in east London, but the incident did not pose any danger to the public, officials said Friday.
The flask of nuclear fuel was not damaged in Thursday night’s incident in Stratford, said Colin Bennett of the Central Electricity Generating Board, the company responsible for power stations in England and Wales and owner of the fuel.
He said that the locomotive and the first open carriage, which was empty, went off the track but that the carriage carrying the flask and the last empty carriage were undamaged.
The fuel was being taken from Bradwell nuclear power station in south England to the Sellafield nuclear power station in north England for reprocessing, he said.
A spokesman for British Rail said it appeared that vandalism “was a contributing factor, but the matter is subject to investigation.”
The driver and the guard on the train were not injured, said the spokesman, who refused to be named.
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