[en] The results of the first two severe fuel damage tests performed in the Power Burst Facility are assessed in terms of fission product release and chemical behavior. On-line gamma spectroscopy and grab sample data indicate limited release during solid-phase fuel heatup. Analysis indicates that the fuel morphology conditions for the trace-irradiated fuel employed in these two tests limit initial release. Only upon high temperature fuel restructuring and liquefaction is significant release indicated. Chemical equilibrium predictions, based on steam oxidation or reduction conditions, indicate I to be the primary iodine species during trnsport in the steam environment of the first test and CsI to be the primary species during transport in the hydrogen environment of the second test. However, the higher steam flow rate conditions of the first test transported the released iodine through the sample system; whereas, low-hydrogen flow rate of the second test apparently allowed the vast majority of iodine-bearing compounds to plateout during transport