MOSCOW, Aug 1 (Xinhuanet) -- An explosion and a fire at a shipyard that decommissions nuclear submarines killed at least one person and injured one another on Monday, the Interfax news agency reported.

    The injured worker, who is in a hospital, is reportedly in very serious condition, Zvyozdochka chief engineer Viktor Frolov was quoted as saying on Monday.

    The exploded nuclear submarine had no nulcear reactor, said Russia's Defense Ministry.

    Experts are investigating the cause of the explosion, the report said.

    The nuclear submarine of the Viktor class by NATO classification was brought to Severodvinsk for recycling in the summer 2005. The blast took place at the Zvyozdochka plant at around 8:32 am (0432 GMT) and was extinguished around 9 a.m., said the duty officer for the Emergency Situations Ministry in the White Sea region of Arkhangelsk, which is about 960 kilometers north of Moscow. Enditem