The China Syndrome Page #7

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- power plant, where an employee...

- and is demanding to make...

...exclusive live coverage...

This is Kimberly Wells.

I'm in the control room

of Ventana Nuclear Power Plant.

With me is Jack Godell,

who has taken over the plant...

...and has demanded

to make a statement. Mr. Godell?

I'm a shift supervisor,

I've been here since it opened.

I don't want to hurt anybody...

...or contaminate California.

I just want you to...

Monday last, at 3:36 p. m...

...we had an event happen...

We had an accident.

- Jesus Christ.

- Nobody was hurt.

It was more serious than you'll

ever know. It was human error.

A faulty relay caused the generator

breakers to trip.

- Don't be technical!

- I know it sounds ridiculous...

That's the reactor water level.

The pen in the meter got stuck.

Because of that,

we got the wrong reading.

We tried to keep water out.

But in fact the level

was dangerously low.

We only had one auxiliary pump left

to get water into the core.

- Come on.

- But that's not why I'm here.

- I'm not making sense.

- It's all right.

There's something else. You see...

- We got it.

- Ready to cut the circuit.

It's so complex, yet it's simple.

It's so complex, this whole place.

It's very difficult.

But that's not why I'm...

The vibration was not normal.

There was a vibration. I know.

Do it, for Christ's sake.

Oh, no. No!

- Cut him off.

- We're losing picture.

What happened?

Oh, my God, why? You idiots!

- He's gone nuts.

- We've lost our picture.

Please, God, no!

Stop!

Stop it!

Check the feedwater.

- Get a doctor.

- Get a medic!

I can feel it.

- What did he say?

- "I feel it."

My God, it's that pump.

- Check feedwater valves!

- Stabilize the reactor.

Stay at your stations!

Damn it, shut up!

Christ.

It's over.

It's stable.

If you've just tuned in,

what happened was this:

At 4:
00, an armed employee

at Ventana took control.

We began an interview,

but lost the signal.

- We do have a second camera.

- We have picture.

I'm told we can switch

back to our second unit.

There, you see it.

A big crowd outside the plant.

This is what's going on.

Don't deviate.

Stick to the prepared text.

- Mr. Gibson, what's happening?

- Gather around, please.

I have an announcement.

A few minutes ago,

the situation was resolved.

The Ventana nuclear plant is secure.

- Did you get any of it?

- He looked like a lunatic.

I stress that the public

was never in any danger.

- Was there any damage?

- Yes, but it was totally contained.

A disturbed employee was humored,

so that we could regain control.

- Had he been drinking?

- Yes, we think so.

Mr. De Young is superintendent,

and Mr. Spindler ran the operation.

Get your picture back.

There's Kimberly.

Mr. De Young, a few minutes ago...

Please let me ask a question.

- Losing picture.

- Let me ask a question!

A few minutes ago, Jack Godell

was shot dead. Why was he killed?

Just a minute, Miss Wells.

He was emotionally disturbed.

- Who ordered the SWAT team in?

- He was out of control, dangerous.

Mr. Spindler, do you agree?

Was he disturbed?

- Had he reason to be disturbed?

- I don't know.

- Had he been drinking?

- I don't know.

Why did he do it?

What did he say to you?

- What did he say to you?

- That the plant should be closed.

Do you agree with that?

- It's not my place to say.

- Then whose is it?

- Ted, we have to go...

- Mr. Gibson, let him speak!

Whose place is it?

Wait a minute!

Jack Godell was my best friend.

These guys say he was a loony.

He wasn't a loony.

He was the sanest man I ever knew.

- He believed the plant was unsafe?

- Yeah.

Otherwise he wouldn't have done it.

He wasn't like that.

I didn't know all the details.

He told me a few things.

There will be an investigation

this time.

Then people will know

Godell was a hero.

Jack Godell was a hero.

I have to go.

- Those were personal comments.

- Come on, we're live.

Godell was his friend,

and obviously he's distraught.

Come on. Hold on.

Remind Kimberly we're still live.

- Spindler is only an employee...

- Come on, we're on the air.

Pete, I met Jack...

I met Jack Godell two days ago.

He wasn't a drunk or a crazy man.

He was about to present evidence

to show this plant should be shut down.

I'm sorry, I'm not very objective.

I hope it doesn't end here.

This is Kimberly Wells,

live at Channel 3.

Go right to commercial.

We'll be back with more about the

Ventana nuclear plant take-over...

...right after this.

- Incredible.

- She did a hell of a good job.

I must say, I'm not surprised.

The SWAT team appeared on the scene,

went into the control room...

...and something took place there

to trigger the accident.

Mr. Godell died at the controls

of this atomic plant.

Val Clenard, Channel 7 News.

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