MOSCOW – Russian authorities have detained three top managers of an Arctic power plant that leaked 20,000 tons of diesel fuel into the ecologically fragile region.Plant director Pavel Smirnov, chief engineer Alexei Stepanov and his deputy, Yuri Kuznetsov, have been detained on suspicion of violating environmental regulations, the spokeswoman of Russia's Investigative Committee, Svetlana Petrenko, said Wednesday.Together with Vyacheslav Starostin, another manager at the plant arrested and charged earlier this month, they may face up to five years in prison.The leak occurred when a storage tank collapsed on May 29.
Much of the spilled fuel fouled waterways in the Norilsk area and there is concern it could affect wildlife or make its way into.