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 Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Pavel Fomin was a safety manager at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant during the time of the

explosion.

6 people who helped with the Chernobyleanup share their devastating first-handccounts

 

COURTNEY VERRILL

APR. 15, 2016, 2:43 PM

il 26 will mark the 30-year anniversary of one of the world's largest nuclear disasters — the catastroph

osion that took place at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine in 1986.

re than 500,000 soldiers, firefighters, and plant workers rushed to the scene in the days and months fexplosion to contribute to the massive clean-up efforts.

hout proper protection against the radiation, many suffered immediate and severe nosebleeds, vomitin collapsing. The lasting side effects from the exposure have been immense.

ty photographer Sean Gallup had the chance to speak with a number of the workers who are still livinghead, see their stories.

https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2012/11/13087/chernobyl-cleanup-workers-had-significantly-increased-risk-leukemiahttp://www.businessinsider.com/what-chernobyl-looks-like-today-2016-3http://www.businessinsider.com/author/courtney-verrillhttp://www.businessinsider.com/author/courtney-verrill

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tro Kotenko, 53

Gallup/Getty Images 

o Kotenko was a maintenance worker at the Chernobyl power plant. He spent 11 months performing repairs aftedent. When he was sent into areas with high levels of radiation, he wore a lead-lined coat, work clothes, and onlon mask for protection. After he left the area, his heath quickly declined and continued to get worse.

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drii Mizko, 56

Gallup/Getty Images 

rii Mizko was the pilot of an MI-6 helicopter in the Soviet air force. He was sent to participate in clean-up effordisaster. In total, he spent 22 days at the disaster site. He remembers spending two weeks at the hospital after, anto take all of his clothes because they were radioactive — even clothes he didn't wear, but just had packed with

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ron Tunyan, 50

Gallup/Getty Images 

n Tunyan served in the Soviet 25th Chemical Brigade and arrived at the disaster site one day after the explosiont 25 days participating in the clean-up effort. According to his official discharge paper, he received a total dose siverts of radiation. Since then, he has suffered from headaches and blurred vision caused by high blood pressu

d.

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