Russia submerges nuclear sub to douse blaze

MURMANSK, Russia - Russia said it had brought a blaze aboard a nuclear submarine under control on Friday by partially submerging the vessel at a naval shipyard, after hours of dousing the flames with water from helicopters and tug boats.

The submarine's nuclear reactors had been shut down and posed no danger, officials said. However, nine people were injured when fighting the fire and taken to hospital.

Television pictures showed a plume of black smoke above the yard in the Murmansk region of northern Russia as more than 100 firemen struggled to put out the flames, which witnesses said rose 10 meters above the Yekaterinburg submarine.