Blast hits Flamanville nuclear plant in northern France

An explosion at a nuclear power plant in northern France on Thursday caused minor injuries but took place outside the plant's nuclear zone and posed no risk of contamination, the authorities said.

"It is a significant technical event but it is not a nuclear accident," senior local official Olivier Marmion told AFP news agency following the blast at the Flamanville plant 25 kilometres west of Cherbourg.

Officials said the blast at the power station, which has been in operation since the 1980s, took place inside a turbine room shortly before 10am. The cause was not immediately known.

Five people were treated by paramedics for smoke inhalation, with no serious injuries immediately reported.

EDF Energy, which runs the plant, said there were no casualties in the incident or "consequences for safety at the plant or for environmental safety".

"A fire resulting in a minor explosion broke out in the turbine hall on the non-nuclear part of unit one at the Flamanville nuclear power plant," a spokesperson said.

"The fire was immediately brought under control by the plant’s response team. As per normal procedure, the fire brigade went to the affected location and confirmed that the fire had been extinguished." 

One of the plant's two reactors was shut down after the explosion and the incident was declared over at noon, the authorities said.