An oven exploded Monday at a nuclear site in France, killing one person and injuring four others, a spokeswoman for French energy company EDF said.
There was no radioactive leak or waste released, she said. The Ministry of the Interior and the French nuclear safety agency also said there had been no radioactive leak, CNN affiliate BFM-TV reported.
The explosion took place in Marcoule, in southeastern France, the EDF spokeswoman said, declining to give her name in line with company policy.
Weapons-grade plutonium is produced at the plant, the think tank Global Security said. EDF did not immediately confirm that.
France relies heavily on nuclear power, which now accounts for about 80% of the country's electricity production, according to the U.S. State Department.
The French government has been reviewing the country's dependence on nuclear energy in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan in March, which was triggered by an earthquake and tsunami.
There have been no serious suggestions from mainstream politicians that France reduce its dependence on nuclear power, the State Department said.
Read CNN's full coverage of the explosion at a French nuclear site
The CNN front page headline "1 killed France nuke waste blast "
If that's not baiting, I don't know what is. No nuclear waste was affected, and if it's a kitchen oven, this could have happened at a hydroelectric dam, a power plant, or a restaurant...
@yannaes:
A statement that has no bearing on the story, or no bearing on any story, really.
What were you hoping to accomplish?
Was it corningware? What kind of oven?
Heartwarming to be assured CNN headline writers will be certain of a job, say, at the NY POST if CNN ever decides to return to thorough responsible journalism.
Maybe it,s Karma for trying to STEAL Libya,s OIL,next will be Italy the UK and the USA.
The explosion was NOT in a kitchen oven. The French newspaper Le Monde said:
"Un four a explosé dans un centre de traitement de déchets faiblement radioactifs."
Translation: An incinerator (oven) exploded in a waste treatment plant for slightly radioactive material.
@David:
@Compass:
Totally agree.
We clicked on it, though...
Thank you, Qalam.
This has to be among the most misleading headlines in the history of CNN. How many deaths happen in kitchens across the world each day. I'm sure we can get some great headlines for each and every one.
It is not a kitchen oven. It is the type used to melt heavy metals.
My oven experienced a MELTDOWN during cookie processing. No NUCLEAR radiation was released.
When Fukishima happened they also reported no radiation leak to start with. The BBC has reported an exclusion zone has already been set up.
Whats with all the moronic banter about ovens? The ovens are part of the nuclear material production.
Try to remain calm. Hide under your desk , and cover your head . Do not look at the flash . All you crazies out there , let's not panic . Relax , there was no leak of radioactive material .
See what happens when you let the women out of the kitchen?! Ovens explode! Unless women return to the kitchen, this type of thing will happen at greater frequencies all over the world!
*Facepalm*â„¢ @ U-ee.
Lol