No one died, it was an exaggerated mishap.
I believe that both TMI and Chernobyl were “tests” gone wrong. Bored operators working at a plant where everything works.
TMI was one of the last nuclear plants to generate electricity cheaper than other sources of energy. The end of the “too cheap to meter” promise of nuclear power. Then, the unions got into the picture.
Nope, no one died. I was working at Brookhaven Lab on Long Island at the time. It was the designated site for emergency response. A fleet of helicopters roared off to 3 mile that morning amid great panic. All agreed the next week it was a nothing burger proving that, despite errors, all the safety procedures worked but it still effectively killed Nuclear Power in this country.