French nuclear plant explosion raises fear of potential radiation leak [Updated]

This is still developing, but what we know now is that an explosion has happened at a French nuclear plant. The explosion killed one person and injured three others. The explosion happened in a storage site for radioactive waste according to a French paper called Le Figaro reports BBC News. The plant is apparently not for producing power and is involved in the decommissioning of nuclear facilities.

The plant reportedly makes MOX fuel that is used in recycling plutonium from nuclear weapons and the plant has no nuclear reactors. So far, there have been no leak reports according to the French atomic energy commission. A security perimeter has been set up because there is a risk of a radiation leak.

The afflicted facility is located near the French Mediterranean coast in the Gard department, which is in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. That is all the details we know right now, the story will be developing so we will keep an eye out for updates.

[via BBC News]

Update: The French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) has released an official statement on the incident. As well as confirming one death and injury to four, the ASN says there is no need for evacuations to take place in the area around the plant. Specialist investigators are being called to the scene.