A general view of the Valdellos II nuclear plant, near the northeastern city of Tarragona, August 24, 2008. Valdellos II nuclear plant caught fire on Sunday, causing no casualties and environmental damages, said the authorities.  (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    MADRID, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- A nuclear power plant in the northeastern Spanish province of Tarragona caught fire on Sunday, causing no casualties and environmental damages, said the authorities.

    The fire, beginning at 8:49 a.m. local time (0649 GMT) in the Vandellos plant, was extinguished at 10:30 a.m. (0830 GMT) by the plant's firefighters, said Spain's Nuclear Security Counsel in a statement.

    The plant's operation was suspended, said the council, noting that the accident "did not have any impact on the staff or the environment."

    The plant's head, Josep Castellnou, said the fire occurred at apart far from the center of the reactor and was quickly brought under control.

    The cause of the accident was under investigation, and it would take weeks for the plant to resume its electricity generation, he said.

    Vandellos, located some 140 km southeast of Barcelona, is one of the seven nuclear power plants in Spain. It is run by two companies, Endesa and Iberdrila.