First Response and the Heroes

 On the morning of April 26, 1986, immediately after the explosion, chaos erupted around the power plant. When the first firefighters arrived at the scene, they did not know what they would encounter. They were simply told that “there is a fire.” There was no information about the radiation levels of the reactor.

Firefighters and plant workers approached the flames and the reactor, which was filled with thick smoke, directly. The graphite-burning reactor was releasing both fire, toxic gases, and intense radiation. Every moment of their actions put their lives at risk.

Despite this, the teams did everything they could to cool the reactor and bring the fire under control. Some engineers, some operators, without realizing the danger of radiation, tried to stabilize critical systems. Some succumbed to radiation in just a few hours.

These first responders did everything possible to reduce the impact of the disaster. Without them, the consequences would have been far worse. Their courage remains one of the most important human stories in the history of Chernobyl.

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