TEPCO puts out fire at quake-hit nuclear unit

TOKYO, Sep 20 (Reuters) A fire broke out at Tokyo Electric Power Co's quake-hit Kashiwazaki-Kariwa No.1 nuclear power unit, but was put out immediately, the local fire department and the Japanese utility said today.

There were no injuries or radiation leaks, they said.

The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant, the world's biggest, has been shut indefinitely after a major earthquake shook northwest Japan on July 16.

The fire broke out at about 0718 hrs IST, caused by a fault in a provisional cooler on the roof of the plant, but a crew immediately extinguished the flames and called the authorities, a TEPCO spokesman said.

REUTERS SZ RAI0928