Smoke escapes N-plant / New danger signs at No. 3 reactor; radiation levels jump

[jpak]

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T110316005165.htm

White smoke was seen rising from the troubled No. 3 reactor at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said.

The smoke is believed to have come from the temporary storage pool for spent nuclear fuel rods in the reactor's outer containment building.

Reactors at the Fukushima plant have been running into trouble due to power shortages in the wake of the magnitude-9.0 quake Friday that has left thousands of people in the Tohoku region dead or missing.

Earlier in the day, the plant's No. 4 reactor also was hit by a fire around 5:15 a.m., which is believed to have occurred around its temporary storage pool for spent nuclear fuel. A separate fire occurred in the No. 4 reactor on the previous day.

<more>

Diagram shows the location of the green crane above the spent fuel pool

[thereismore]

1. This was Wednesday. nt