Smoke at No. 3 plant subsided....

The previously reported gray smoke coming from No. 3 plant at Fukushima Daiichi did subside without intervention after about two hours... the smoke turned darker and then even black for a time before subsiding.

Later, in the evening, white smoke issued from a crack in the roof of the No. 2 plant and also subsided; this phenomenon has been seen before.

We've seen photos of the smoke from No. 3 and it seems obvious enough that this is smoke and not steam; certainly a fire started somewhere inside the plant and burned itself out.

Radiation levels did pick up later on at the site, and then also subside but time-wise these seem more likely linked to the (probably steam) emission from No. 2 building and not the (surely smoke) emission from No. 3 building.

TEPCO investigating...

10:20 AM Eastern Monday 3/21
ATOMIC POWER REVIEW