After the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident, reactor number 4, which was involved in the accident, was encased in concrete to contain the radiation and debris, creating a structure known as 鈥渢he sarcophagus鈥�. Other reactors in the plant however remained active until 2000, despite the radioactive nature of the area surrounding reactor 4.
Radiation continues to be emitted from a mass of material in reactor 4 known as 鈥溾��. It鈥檚 made up of nuclear fuel, melted concrete and metal, and was formed during the initial accident.
The foot is . In 鈥�86 the foot would have been ; even today, the radiation is fatal after 300 seconds. There were聽 that due to the continued chemical reactions occurring within the mass that it may penetrate deeper into the ground, potentially connecting with, but these have proven unfounded.
