The Reactor Is Still Under the Dome: Why Chernobyl Can’t Simply Be Sealed Off

On April 26, 1986, at 1:23 a.m., explosions destroyed Unit 4 of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Nearly forty years later, the reactor still has not been dismantled. Above it stands the New Safe Confinement — a giant steel arch moved over the old sarcophagus in 2016. Its purpose was not to erase the accident. It was to give engineers time: time to contain radioactive material, stabilize the old shelter, and begin the decades-long task of dismantling what remains inside. In this video: Why the RBMK-1000 reactor had a dangerous design flaw What happened during the late-night safety test at Unit 4 Why Pripyat was evacuated only about 36 hours after the explosion What happened to the firefighters and liquidators who entered the site Which death figures are confirmed — and why long-term estimates remain disputed Why the first sarcophagus was never a permanent solution How the New Safe Confinement was built and moved over Reactor 4 Why dismantling the reactor could still take decades What remains of Pripyat and the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone today The New Safe Confinement is approximately 108 meters high, spans about 260 meters, and was designed to last around 100 years. It now covers the damaged reactor while engineers prepare for the long process of dismantling the old shelter and the radioactive materials beneath it.ebrd+2 If you enjoy real stories about engineering failures, abandoned infrastructure, ghost cities, railroads, industrial disasters, and the systems people built but could not simply walk away from, subscribe for more. What disaster, abandoned site, or engineering failure should be covered next? Chernobyl remains a silent monument to disaster. Explore the abandoned city of Pripyat and the reactor still under the dome. The exclusion zone holds more than just the ruined nuclear reactor. We examine the remnants of daily life left behind in Pripyat, from the rusted Ferris wheel to personal belongings still sitting in empty apartments. This footage documents the scale of the site, including rare scenes of workers in protective gear and medical treatment facilities that highlight the ongoing containment efforts. By analyzing blueprints related to the Fatal Convergence project, we look at the engineering challenges of managing an abandoned city. This is an investigation into the aftermath of the event and the structural reality of the site today. For those interested in infrastructure history and the consequences of industrial failure, this look at the exclusion zone offers a sobering perspective on what happens when a community is frozen in time. Subscribe for weekly infrastructure and history breakdowns, and let me know in the comments: what other abandoned sites should I investigate next? #Chernobyl #Pripyat #NuclearHistory #RBMK #NuclearDisaster #GhostCity #Documentary #Engineering #Ukraine