PNO-II-86-034, on 860510,fire Destroyed One of Six multi-cell Redwood Cooling Towers.Cause Under Investigation.Fire May Have Been Ignited by Spark from Lift Pump Motor.Units 1 & 2 Defueled.All Three Units Shut Down

PNO-II-86-034:on 860510,fire Destroyed One of Six multi-cell Redwood Cooling Towers.Cause Under Investigation.Fire May Have Been Ignited by Spark from Lift Pump Motor.Units 1 & 2 Defueled.All Three Units Shut Down

ML20197J682
Person / Time
Site:	Browns Ferry
Issue date:	05/12/1986
From:	Cantrell F, Andrea Johnson NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
To:
References
PNO-II-86-034, PNO-II-86-34, NUDOCS 8605200140
Download: ML20197J682 (2)

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.. PRELIMINARY'NOTIFICATIONOFEVENTOR'UNUSUALOCCURREljCEPN0-II-86-34 c This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice ~of events of POSSIBLE safety or F public interest significance. The information is as initially received without verifi-cation or evaluation, and is basically all that is known by the Region II staff on this datn. <

FAdILITY: Tennessee Valley Authority Licensee Emergency Classification:

Browns Ferry Units 1, 2 and 3 Notification of Unusual Event

', Dockat Nos. 50-259/260/296 Alert-Athens, Alabama Site Area Emergency

- General Errergency X Not Applicable ,

SUBJECT:

COOLING TOWER DESTROYED BY FIRE [

~ _ A fire which broke out at 2:15 p.m. (EDT) on Saturday, May 10, destroyed one of six

> multi-cell redwood cooling towers at the Browns Ferry site. No one was injured, and no safety-related equipment was affected. The cooling tower which burned was between one-quarter and one-half' mile from the plant reactor buildings.

- The Browns' Ferry fire brigade fought the fire, aided by two off-site fire departments with which TVA has contract agreements to assist if needed.

The fire was extinguished at 4:08 p.m.

P . TVA has established a special group to investigate the cause. One theory being pursued is Ethat the fire may have been ignited by a spark from a lift pump motor which was being started at the time the fire began. This pump was beir.g used a wet down the tower, a task which is performed weekly.

All-three Browns Ferry units are shut down, and Units 1 and 2 are defueled.

Rzgion II will monitor TVA's evaluation. One resident inspector was on site during the event and inother inspector responded.

%v Tha fire has been the subject of media coverage in the South 9ast,._

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- TVA notified the media in the plant area of the fire within_ an hour after it began. Both TVA and Region II have been responding to inquiries. "

The State of Alabama has been infopned.

TVA informed 'tne.NRC hea'dquarters duty officer of the incident at 3:15 p.m. on May 10.

' This information is current as of 8 a.m. today. ,

Contact:

-A. Johnson, 242-4664 F. S. Cantrell, 242-5534 DISTRIBUTION:

H. Street MNBB Phillips E/W Willste m . MAIL:

Chairman Palladino IUD-- NRR ~ TE- NMSS IURiUM8 Comm. Roberts PA OIA RES - 00T: Trans'Only Comm. Asselstine MPA AE0D Applicable State Comm. Bernthal ELD

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