One of six tsunami-crippled nuclear reactors appeared to stabilize yesterday as Japan discovered the first food contaminated by radiation and raced to restore power to the stricken power plant to prevent a greater catastrophe.

Engineers reported some rare success after fire trucks sprayed water for about three hours on reactor No. 3, widely considered the most dangerous at the ravaged Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear complex because of its use of highly toxic plutonium.

“The situation there is stabilizing somewhat,” Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told a news conference.