A fire in one lab room at South Carolina’s Savannah River Site set off a site area emergency because officials reported a radiological release that did not pass through the building’s filters.
Story Highlights
- Officials declared a site area emergency at 5:39 p.m. on Wednesday, October 28, after a fire in a single room at the Savannah River National Laboratory.
- Site officials reported “an unfiltered ground-level radiological release” with the fire.
- Officials said the public outside the site was not in danger, but the Federal Aviation Administration’s flight restriction over the site cited a U.S. government “nuclear incident.”
- The site was built in the 1950s and made plutonium and tritium, two key materials for nuclear weapons, during the Cold War.
- Workers sheltered in place, site gates closed to incoming traffic, and rail, river and air traffic nearby was restricted.
- The fire was put out, one employee went to the hospital with minor injuries, and officials said surveys found no detectable contamination.
- The emergency ended Wednesday night, and workers were told to report for their Thursday shifts as usual.
What Happened At The Lab
The fire broke out in a single room at the Savannah River National Laboratory near Aiken, South Carolina, on Wednesday evening, October 28. Site officials declared a site area emergency at 5:39 p.m. The reason was what came with the fire: site officials described “an unfiltered ground-level radiological release.” Unfiltered means the air from the room did not go through the filters that normally trap radioactive particles before air leaves a building.
Crews put out the fire. According to the Department of Energy, one employee was taken to a hospital with minor injuries. A department spokesperson said, “No radiological contamination has been reported.” Site officials also said there was no sign of contamination beyond the site’s boundaries.
How The Site Locked Down
Workers in the lab area, called Area A, sheltered behind barricades for about 30 minutes, according to reports. After that they were allowed to leave, but no one else was let in. Other employees who were not part of the response were also told to shelter as a safety step.
Barricades closed the site entrances to incoming traffic. Rail, river and air traffic near the site was restricted. The Federal Aviation Administration, which controls U.S. airspace, issued a temporary flight restriction that cited a U.S. government “nuclear incident” at the site. Nearby Highway 125 stayed open, according to reports.
What A Site Area Emergency Means
The Department of Energy sorts emergencies at its nuclear sites into three levels: Alert, Site Area Emergency and General Emergency. A site area emergency is the middle level. It means something serious has happened or could happen at the site, even when officials do not expect harm to people outside it.
That is why the site moved fast. The label triggers fixed steps, such as sheltering workers, closing gates and notifying state and local agencies. It does not by itself mean danger has spread to nearby towns.
How The Emergency Ended
Officials ended the emergency later Wednesday night after radiological surveys found no detectable contamination, according to reports. The barricades reopened, and incoming shift workers were told to report as usual. On Thursday, October 29, the site’s notice said there were no operational emergencies or scheduled delays.
Officials have not released the cause of the fire. They also have not said what material was released or how much. Officials have not said whether an investigation is underway.
Why This Site Matters
The Savannah River Site covers about 310 square miles along the South Carolina and Georgia border. It was built in the 1950s and made plutonium and tritium, two key materials for nuclear weapons, during the Cold War. Its work centers on managing nuclear materials and waste, cleanup and research. The lab handles nuclear materials in its experiments.
Families who live near the site count on straight answers when something goes wrong. Officials said the public outside the site was not in danger. The next step people will watch for is the release of the fire’s cause and the survey results behind that finding.
Sources:
wrdw.com, bnonews.com, nypost.com, washingtonexaminer.com, townhall.com, wsbradio.com