1997: “Operators abandon the control room of a U.S. nuclear power reactor. A member of the training department took a picture of a fire detection panel … The camera’s flash tricked the fire detector circuit into sensing a fire. Seconds later, the fire suppression system discharged Halon gas into the control room. Seconds later, the operators fled the control room… For 35 minutes, the operators monitored controls through a window in an adjacent room, darting back into the control room when necessary to response to alarms.”
The machines I work on can set off the fire suppression system by a flashlight. Great way to see the whole plant get foamed.
Just read an unfortunate story of someone who died after being locked in a vault and setting off the fire alarm as a means of getting attention.