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Valeriy HodemchukSoviet engineer, night shift circulating pump operator at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant
Date of Birth: 24.03.1953
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Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Career at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant
- Tragic Night of the Chernobyl Disaster
- First Victim of the Disaster
- Recovery and Legacy
Early Life and Education
Born on March 24, 1951, in the village of Kropivnya, Ukraine, Valeriy Khodemchuk's formative years were spent in the countryside. His educational background and any early influences that shaped his career path are not known.
Career at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant
Khodemchuk began his employment at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in September 1973. He displayed a steady progression in his responsibilities, initially serving as a boiler engineer and later as a senior engineer in the boiler workshop. As his tenure at the plant continued, he held positions as an operator in the 6th group and a senior engineer in the 7th group, overseeing the main circulation pumps.
Tragic Night of the Chernobyl Disaster
On the fateful night of April 26, 1986, Khodemchuk was on duty in one of the engine rooms connected to the main circulation pumps in Unit 4 of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Shortly after 1:23 AM (Moscow time), a series of powerful explosions tore through Unit 4. The devastating blasts shattered the atomic reactor and its surrounding structures, including the main circulation pumps.
First Victim of the Disaster
Valeriy Khodemchuk is widely regarded as the first victim of the Chernobyl disaster. It is believed that he perished instantly upon the explosion of Unit 4.
Recovery and Legacy
Khodemchuk's body was never recovered. It is presumed that he was buried beneath the wreckage of the circulation pumps. In 2008, he was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage, 3rd degree, by Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko.
Khodemchuk's tragic story was brought to a global audience in the 2019 HBO miniseries "Chernobyl," where he was portrayed by actor Kieran O'Brien. His sacrifice serves as a poignant reminder of the human toll of the Chernobyl disaster.
