Compounding Errors in Crisis Management
Attempting to control a catastrophic fire, firefighters unknowingly exacerbated the situation by dousing the reactor floor with water, creating a perilous mix of radioactive water and flames. This ill-informed action risked turning a disaster into an unimaginable catastrophe.

Inadvertently, the decision to flood the area also compromised vital safety mechanisms. The water obstructed valves essential for operating ‘bubbler pools’ underneath the reactor, designed to cool it in emergencies. This oversight disabled a critical failsafe, further endangering the situation.