26 April 1986
Telyatnikov Emergency Callout
Leonid Telyatnikov
Responds to the Chernobyl emergency and travels to the plant after learning of the Unit 4 fire.
Emergency response · 26 April 1986
Chernobyl Firefighters
Fire brigades from the plant and Pripyat fought fires around the reactor and turbine buildings before the radiological danger was fully understood.
First response
Fire crews at Units 3 and 4
Selected records from the replacement database file.
26 April 1986
Telyatnikov Fireground Command
Leonid Telyatnikov
Takes overall command of firefighting operations around Units 3 and 4 during the early morning emergency.
26 April 1986
Telyatnikov Reactor Fire Reconnaissance
Leonid Telyatnikov
Inspects the fire situation while crews work on roofs and plant structures threatened by burning radioactive debris.
26 April 1986
Pravik First Fire Crew Arrival
Vladimir Pravik
Leads one of the first firefighting crews to reach the damaged Unit 4 complex after the alarm.
26 April 1986
Pravik Major Fire Alarm
Vladimir Pravik
Calls for extensive reinforcements after recognizing that fires threaten multiple structures around the reactor.
26 April 1986
Pravik Turbine Hall Fire Direction
Vladimir Pravik
Directs firefighters toward fires affecting the turbine-hall roof and nearby structures.
26 April 1986
Kibenok Firefighter Rescue Assistance
Viktor Kibenok
Helps weakened firefighters descend after radiation sickness symptoms begin affecting crews on the roof.
26 April 1986
Kibenok Pripyat Brigade Arrival
Viktor Kibenok
Arrives from Pripyat with firefighters responding to the expanding emergency at Units 3 and 4.
26 April 1986
Kibenok Roof Firefighting Command
Viktor Kibenok
Supervises firefighters tackling highly radioactive burning debris on the roofs near Unit 3.
26 April 1986
Ignatenko Injured Firefighter Assistance
Vasily Ignatenko
Helps weakened colleagues descend from the roof after they begin showing severe radiation sickness symptoms.
26 April 1986
Ignatenko Pripyat Fire Crew Response
Vasily Ignatenko
Responds from Pripyat as part of Viktor Kibenok's firefighting unit during the first hours of the disaster.
26 April 1986
Ignatenko Unit Three Roof Firefighting
Vasily Ignatenko
Fights fires on the roof areas near Unit 3 where radioactive debris from Unit 4 has landed.
26 April 1986
Titenok Pripyat Fire Response
Nikolai Titenok
Responds with the Pripyat fire brigade to the Chernobyl plant after the Unit 4 explosion.
26 April 1986
Titenok Radiation Collapse
Nikolai Titenok
Becomes seriously ill during roof firefighting and is helped down by fellow firefighters.
26 April 1986
Titenok Ventilation Roof Firefighting
Nikolai Titenok
Fights radioactive fires on the roof near the ventilation block and Unit 3.
26 April 1986
Vashchuk Pripyat Brigade Response
Nikolai Vashchuk
Responds with Pripyat firefighters to the burning Unit 4 complex after the reactor explosion.
26 April 1986
Vashchuk Radiation Exposure
Nikolai Vashchuk
Receives a severe radiation dose while fighting fires among highly radioactive reactor debris.
26 April 1986
Vashchuk Roof Firefighting
Nikolai Vashchuk
Works on roof fires threatening Unit 3 and nearby structures during the first emergency response.
26 April 1986
Tishura Acute Radiation Collapse
Vladimir Tishura
Collapses after developing severe symptoms during the high-radiation roof firefighting operation.
26 April 1986
Tishura Pripyat Fire Brigade Response
Vladimir Tishura
Responds with the Pripyat fire brigade to fires around the damaged Unit 4 reactor.
26 April 1986
Tishura Unit Three Roof Firefighting
Vladimir Tishura
Fights burning radioactive debris on the roof near Unit 3 and the ventilation block.
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