They fought a reactor fire without knowing
In Chernobyl, firefighters rushed in thinking they were facing a normal blaze. Many were not told how dangerously radioactive the smoke, debris, and scattered graphite really were.Chernobyl Firefighters and Radiation
The roof was littered with reactor pieces
Burning material had blasted onto nearby roofs and started more fires. One firefighter recalled pieces of graphite small enough to pick up by hand, not knowing they were part of the destroyed core.Chernobyl Firefighters and Radiation
