Like the station’s own physicists, Legasov’s first concern was the possibility of a new chain reaction in the remains of Reactor Number Four. The plant operators had already tried to drench the nuclear fuel by pouring bags of boric acid powder—which contained neutron-absorbing boron—into the water tanks of the cooling system. But the chemical solution had disappeared into the maze of broken piping tangled in the reactor hall. They couldn’t be certain where it had gone, and now supplies were running low. Ukrainian energy minister Sklyarov ordered another ten tonnes of the powder to be sent from
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