Juwczenko Alexander was on duty in the building of Chernobyl-4 reactor and as one of few survived the disaster. He suffered from serious burns, has undergone for many operations and still suffers as a result of irradiation.
decided to break the silence and failure to show documentation on the Discovery Channel.
here talking with Michael Bond.
-What did you do that night, when a reactor exploded?
-I was on night shift. Was then carried out a simple test, and we had only to control the cooling system, which is a very easy task. I have not had much to do.
-What were you doing when you heard the explosion?
-I was in my office and talked to a worker, who came to paint, and then read some papers.
-And what happened?
-The first thing I heard was an explosion not only dull rumble. Two or three seconds later there was an explosion. My cabinet doors were simply blown away by the air mixed with dust, smoke and steam. It was a very powerful blast. Everything shook and things fell to the ground. The lights went out. Getting what I thought was to find the hideout. Have run the transport corridor and hid in a small room with low ceilings. All things were flying around me.
-thought, sir, that what it could be?
-When I heard the noise, I thought that something very heavy fell. I had no idea what was happening. For a moment I thought that the war had begun.
-Do you have guessed that this reactor?
-I could not imagine what could go bad in a reactor. Before I started, there were no shocks, sounds, anything that indicate a problem. We were well-trained engineers, and knew what could happen to the reactor, and what not. We knew what to do in case of fire and other problems, but no one was prepared for that! We were all convinced of the reliability of the system. When someone pressed the safety switch to insert control rods into the reactor - as did my friend, Leonid Tuptonow, the control center of the night - wsuwały rods, and reactor switch off. But do not cut off!
-What did you do after the explosion?
-I returned to my office and tried to get through to the fourth reactor control center to find out what happened, but no one answered. Surprisingly, they called the the third and told me he took the stretcher. I took it and ran. Along the way met a man who was near the epicenter of the explosion. I did not recognize him because he was all black and heavily burned. He told me to get to the site of the explosion, because there are many wounded. This unfortunate man was taken away by others, and I got a flashlight and went to find a provider near enormous tanks of refrigeration.
-What did you find there?
-I came there, but I could not find anything. Everything was porozwalane. I found it a bit further. He tried to crawl away up. He was very dirty, wet and heavily burned, still in a state of shock and was shaking the whole. He told me to get where this thing broke, where he worked for my friend, Valera Kodemczuk. This man lost his sight. The place was talking about, no longer existed.
-What happened then?
-noticed Tregub Yuri, who was sent by Anatoly Ditlowa, deputy principal chief of engineers. He wanted to open the valves cooling tanks to flood the area with water. He could not do it alone, so I went with him to help.
-Success to you?
-Access to the valve was impossible. Were finding in the reactor hall. Only two doors you can go in there. For the first road was cut off by a few collapsed walls. We went to another. We went down several floors until we had water to the knees. These doors could not be opened, but by a small crack we saw the ruins. Everything was destroyed, including water tanks.
-Then?
-To have a better picture of what happened here, we went outside, but the sight was terrifying. All what could be destroyed was destroyed. The whole cooling system has disappeared from the face of the earth. The right side of the reactor building was completely demolished. I realized that Kodemczuk Valero is dead. After the building where he worked, into ruins. Big turbines were still in place, and everything else was in pieces. This had to be buried. From where I stood, I could see the great stream of light coming out of reactor. He reminded the laser. Probably arose as a result of air ionization. The light was bright bluish color and it was very beautiful. I watched this show several seconds. If I was there for a few minutes, you probably would have died on the spot by gamma rays, neutrons, and everything coming out of there. Tregub hit me, so I ran away. He was older and more experienced.
-What did you do then?
-We wanted to get to the main control center and the way we met three workers who were sent to the hall by Deatlowa reactor to insert the rods by hand. Tregub ran to the center, and I went to help them. I said that this pesky command is completely pointless, because the reactor hall, the hedgehog does not exist. Responded dismissively, I saw her only from the lower level, and they are going to see it for yourself with the upper floors.
-Do zdawaliście realize how dangerous it was?
-Yes.
-What happened when you returned to the hall of the reactor?
-climbed to a small room. So it went last, I was out the door, because I no longer fit. They took me a flashlight and went inside, and I was out the door. Gazed into each other, compared to what was, for the volcano crater and left. They found that nothing we can do.
-What happened to those three?
-dead very quickly. Doors, behind which sat saved my life! It was only a blessing in disguise. The worst thing was that we were powerless against the radiation.
-When you feel that you are sick?
-about three in the morning, half an hour after the explosion.
-How do you feel?
-Poor. I knew that the first symptoms of radiation sickness are vomiting, but I thought I ate something bad. I met a man in overalls przeciwradiacyjnym the dosimeter. I asked, what is the reading from the meter, but when I showed me a hint, going beyond the scale, only then I understood what really happened here. It was the most terrifying moment. I do not know how much I accepted dose, but it certainly was great. They took me to a local hospital at five o'clock in the evening, was deported to Moscow. I was so weak that I could not even stand up.
-Do you think that there might die?
-It was awful lie there and listen to how others are tortured and die. I was wondering when it will be my turn. I'm not religious and I do not know any prayers, but asked God, I woke up the next day.
-How were you treated?
-It was a very intensive and debilitating treatment. Only the strongest could withstand it. Without pause my blood transfusion. For several months I lived on other people's blood. Then the sores started to appear after irradiation. A lot of burns. Only after several months, there is a chance that I survived. After a while my body again began to work independently. My wife, Natasha says that I lost much in weight and looked like a living corpse. I spoke very slowly, but maintained a clear mind. I knew what was happening. I was treated properly. I was young and strong. I was 24 years old.
-Are you still suffering physically?
-I have not had skin graft for now. But I still have sores. Without the burns would not be so bad. I still have nightmares.
-How you treat people in Russia?
-I tried to not talk about it. I did not want to know about it. I got two medals. One merit of that memorable night. The second ten years later, but it all got.
-Were you ever have a Chernobyl?
-Only once. When they closed the plant in 2000. I was invited as a special guest. I walked around the third reactor, which is an exact replica of the one that blew up. I did not feel well there. I had legs like jelly, standing on the roof of the building.
-What do you think about nuclear power?
-I think that is good. I think that as long as safety remains the top spot. If it will be a priority, everything should be OK.
