On Saturday, 26 April 1986, one of the most serious nuclear accidents in history occurred, the outbreak of reactor number 4 of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
The paradox of the matter is that the accident took place during the course of a security simulation that simulated a cut in the power supply.
A sudden increase in reactor power 4 overheated the system and caused a terrible explosion, killing two workers on the spot.
However, the tragedy had only just begun.
The core was exposed burning more than 2500 degrees, as it sent a terrible radioactive cloud into the air. More than 100,000 people had to be evacuated urgently saving only what they were wearing.
At least 29 workers involved in the extinction work died within two months. The heroic behavior of these firefighters minimized radioactive damage and saved the lives of thousands of people.
Immediately a plan was created to control and decontaminate the area, using a series of mechanized robots for the most dangerous tasks.
However, the radiation levels were so high that the plates melted and the robots stopped working, so the task had to be done by hand.
A radiation dose of 100 roentgens per hour is enough to kill a man, but Chernobyl levels exceeded 20,000 per hour.
The Soviet government mobilized all available personnel to control the accident, put out the fires, clean the area and build the sarcophagus, but the levels were so high that no one could work there for a long time.
Within two weeks of the terrible accident, the Soviet government offered to exchange two years of compulsory military service in exchange for two minutes of work in the reactor.
The offer was very attractive and hundreds of young people accepted.
Attacked with uncomfortable lead suits that were as heavy as they were useless, more than 3,000 volunteers rushed to move stones, unpack the roof and clean up the reactor literally. After two minutes of clock, they returned to cover to give the relief to the following so many of brave ones.
Here you can see them in action.
The treatment was expensive. They did not have to do military service, but today, 25 years after the tragedy, 50% of the liquidators have died and the rest suffer several sequels and irreversible damages. There are no absolute figures due to the hermeticism with which the Soviet Union acted in Chernobyl.
Their work has been recognized and rewarded a posteriori, since thanks to their sacrifice they were saved countless lives. Even so, many of them did not know the risk they were actually running.