#Fukushima I Nuke Plant: Reactor No.2 Fuel Rods Were Completely Exposed

because water stopped as the fire engine that was pumping the water ran out of fuel and TEPCO workers didn't notice, says Yomiuri Shinbun.

Here's the time line as best as I can gather from various Japanese news sources (time is all Japan Standard Time); information keeps changing, so the following may not be accurate:

1:38PM, 3/14/11: The cooling system of the Reactor No.2 stopped (because it ran out of water to pump?? see my yesterday's post)

5;17PM, 3/14/11: The fuel rods started to get exposed.

6:22PM, 3/14/11: The fuel rods completely exposed.

6:24PM, 3/14/11: TEPCO started pumping sea water, using fine engine (no info on how many), water level started to go back up.

11:00PM, 3/14/11: TEPCO employee noticed that the pump (fire engine) that had been pumping water to the reactor No.2 had stopped, because the the fire engine ran out of fuel.

11:20PM, 3/14/11: The fuel rods completely exposed, again.

12:20AM, 3/15/11: TEPCO held a press conference, and said that the two valves that connects the Reactor Pressure Vessel to the outer Containment facilities had closed and remained shut, causing the pressure to rise. Since these valves were closed they were unable to pour sea water. (Asahi Shinbun)

It is 1:54AM, 3/15/11 in Japan. Here in the US, it is 12:55PM 3/14/11 EST, 9:55AM PST.

Now, what's so hard about asking the local fire departments in the area:

Do you have fire engines that can be driven to the plant?
Can you drive them here ASAP?

and asking the Self-Defense Force:

Can you airlift fire engines?
Can you deliver additional gasoline (or whatever fuel that fire engines use) ?

and asking the US military stationed in Japan:

Can you airlift fire engines?
Can you deliver additional gasoline?

Their bureaucratic incompetency (both the government and TEPCO, which was a government-owned utility company) and their way of dishing out the truth "all in good time" is exposing the people in Japan and in the wider world in danger that might have been totally prevented.

Someone, something, PLEASE SAVE THEM FROM THEIR STUPIDITY.

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