PNO-IV-98-017, on 980415,licensee Reported to NRC Operations Ctr That Fire Had Occurred in Handling Area of UO2 Bldg.Fire Initially Quelled w/CO2 & Then Extinguished W/Small Amount of Water.Licensee Scheduled to Conduct Briefing W/Nrc

PNO-IV-98-017:on 980415,licensee Reported to NRC Operations Ctr That Fire Had Occurred in Handling Area of UO2 Bldg.Fire Initially Quelled w/CO2 & Then Extinguished W/Small Amount of Water.Licensee Scheduled to Conduct Briefing W/Nrc

ML20216H359
Person / Time
Site:	Framatome ANP Richland
Issue date:	04/15/1998
From:	Hooker C, Linda Howell, Wenslawski F NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV)
To:
References
PNO-IV-98-017, PNO-IV-98-17, NUDOCS 9804210118
Download: ML20216H359 (1)

ji *- April 15,1998 PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE PNO-IV-98-017 This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of POSSIBLE safety or i public interest significance. The information is as initially received without verification or 1 evaluation, and is basically all that is known by Region IV staff in Arlington, Texas on this date.

Facility L_icensee Emeraency Classification Siemans Nuclear Power Corporation Notification of Unusual Event Siemans Nuclear Power Corporation Alert Richland, Washington Site Area Emergency Dockets: 07001257 General Emergency License No: SNM-1227 X Not Applicable

Subject:

FIRE IN WASTE HANDLING AREA At 8:50 a.m. (PDT) the licensee reported to the NRC Operations Center that a fire had occurred in a waste handling area of the UO2 Building. A fire alarm occurred at 8:06 a.m.

(PDT) and the licensee promptly activated its Emergency Operations Center and declared an alert at 8:18 a.m. The licensee downgraded from the alert at 8:33 a.m. after the fire was  ;

extinguished.

The fire involved a 4 foot x 6 foot portable wire basket bin containing bags of waste, at this time assumed to be ags, paper towels and other house keeping materials. The City of Richland, Washington fire department responded to the fire, and fire department personnel entered the area with licensee personel while wearing self-contained breathing apparati.

The fire was initially quelled with CO2 and then extinguished with a small amount (approximately 5 gallons) of water. The bin was then rolled outside the building where it re-ignited and was again extinguished with a small amount of water. There were no injuries and it is believed there were no offsite releases of radioactive materials; however, the licensee is in the process of evaluating the radiological consequences. Ventilation to the affected area is currently not operable due to fire damage to electrical systems. The licensee had shut down all normal site operations this past Monday for routine annual maintenance and accountability inventory, and no routine production operations were ongoing at the time of the fire. The licensee is scheduled to conduct a briefing with the NRC Operations Center at 12:00 p.m. (PDT) today.

l Two NRC inspectors are on site conducting a routine inspection and will review the licensee's response. One inspector reprted to the licensee's Emergency Operations Center to monitor the licensee's response. '

Region IV has informed the FEMA Region 10 office and the State of Washington. NMSS has also been informed. The licensee also provided offsite notification to local and state authorities. 4 The licensee has issued a press release. j The informatier. is current as of 10:45 a.m. (PDT).

Contact:

Frank A. Wenslawski Chuck Hooker Linda L. Howell l (925)975-0219 (925)975-0248 (817)860-8213 l

/o (1

1 9804210118 980415 b PDR I&E PNO-IV-98-017 PDR l