Russian navy: 20 dead from poison in sub accident

AP, via Yahoo! News ^ | November 9, 2008 | STEVE GUTTERMAN

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

The fire safety system on a new Russian nuclear-powered submarine malfunctioned on a test run in the Sea of Japan, spewing chemicals that killed at least 20 people and injured 21 others, officials said Sunday.

It was Russia's worst naval accident since torpedo explosions sank another nuclear-powered submarine, the Kursk, in the Barents Sea in 2000, killing all 118 seamen aboard.

The victims died of poisoning from Freon gas that was released Saturday when the fire-extinguishing system accidentally turned on, said Sergei Markin, an official with Russia's top investigative agency.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

And the Russians think that they can successfully challeneg the U.S. Navy on the high seas again with this kind of shoddy construction and quality control of their submarine fleet?

[roaddog727]

Sad thing for the Russians.

They’re lucky it did not occur at depth, or they would have lost another boat the King Neptune.

[NavVet]

Never heard of “Freon” being used in a fire suppression system. “Halon” I'm familiar with, but it doesn't poison you, it just displaces all of the oxygen and you keel over.
Very bad idea to even install such a system in any area other than an ammunition magazine, or paint storage locker etc.

[Covenantor]

Actually this one was scheduled to be leased to the Indian navy. [ Wonder how that leasing works out]

“The Indian Navy has signed an agreement with Russia to lease a new Akula II submarine, SSN Nerpa, for ten years. The vessel is being completed at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur shipyard and is scheduled for delivery in late 2008.”

http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/akula/

Note that the Nerpa was commissioned in December 2000

More forward torpedo room problems like the Kursk?

[Covenantor]

Same thing.

Freon 13B1 is also known as Halon 1301 and is used in fire suppression systems.

[mlocher]

Is this the Interntional Crisis Biden was talking about?

[DB]

Don’t the Russians know that freon is banned because it is a greenhouse gas and destroys the ozone! Where are the environazis when you need them...

[backhoe]

Uhh, Freon isn’t poison- it’s an oxygen displacer. May not be much to choose from, but those poor guys suffocated.

[NavVet]

Seems Dangerous to use in a fire.

“Burning Freon produces a nerve gas that was used to kill troops in World War I. EPA spokeswoman Tina Kreisher said Monday that the supply below the twin towers appears to be in no danger of igniting.”

[DB]

Boy a sub could become a vessel of death on short order with no oxygen... The fire suppression system seems to be more dangerous than the fire threat...

[MuttTheHoople]

I’ve always said that Russians are only a good, competent military when you’re inside their borders....the exception being World War II (mainly because they wanted revenge against the Germans). Now, if they designed a Nuclear sub to roam the Black Sea, they could make it perfectly stealthy.

[DB]

Without oxygen the fire doesn’t burn so the threat of decomposition goes away.

[Gay State Conservative]

Too bad the USSR didn’t send their *navy* in to invade democratic,harmless,tiny Georgia last summer.Maybe the death count would have including fewer innocents and more aggressors.

[Eye of Unk]

I have always had the feeling that my destiny was to be at sea on a sub, I have tons of books, novels and last year I built a 52” model of a Gato class US sub, thats a WW2 submarine that was one class before the one used in the movie with Cary Grant, the pink one.

My heart reaches out to fellow sailors with no animosity at all. The Russians have not had good luck these last few years with their naval forces.

[Covenantor]

how do you think our Space Shuttle crews feel about it?

Read:http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/reference/shutref/orbiter/cw/smokedet.html

[VaBthang4]

Prolly mean 40 are dead.

[Yorlik803]

This sub is cursed. I wouldnt want to be a sailor on this thing after 20 others got killed durning construction.
Sailors are supericous about stuff like this.
The Russians might as well scrap the damn thing and build another one.

[Gay State Conservative]

Now, if they designed a Nuclear sub to roam the Black Sea, they could make it perfectly stealthy.

But what purpose would *that* serve? Tiny neighboring nations....ones with oil or major oil pipelines wouldn't be frightened by *that*.And the cowering scumbags populating western and central Europe whould have no need to shout "anything you say,Ivan...just don't shut off our gas supplies".

[Vaduz]

Boy are they in trouble now Al Gore is going to have a talk with them

[backhoe]

I have always had the feeling that my destiny was to be at sea on a sub, I have tons of books, novels and last year I built a 52” model of a Gato class US sub, thats a WW2 submarine that was one class before the one used in the movie with Cary Grant, the pink one. My heart reaches out to fellow sailors with no animosity at all. The Russians have not had good luck these last few years with their naval forces.

Operation Petticoat!

I saw that when I was a kid. Yes, the Russians have had some bad luck-- my whole family, except for me, were sailors of some sort.