Emergency declared after radioactive material released from nuclear site
Radioactive material was released after a fire broke out at a nuclear facility in South Carolina. A site area emergency was declared at the federal nuclear complex in the Palmetto State. The fire has since been brought under control.
TL;DR
- A fire occurred at the Savannah River National Laboratory, a facility within the Energy Department's weapons complex in South Carolina.
- The fire was contained to one room, but radioactive material escaped at ground level without passing through filters.
- An emergency was declared, and flight restrictions were imposed by the FAA, citing a US government "nuclear incident."
- Officials stated there were no signs of contamination reaching beyond the site's fence.
- Workers in Area A sheltered in place for approximately half an hour before being allowed to leave, with no new entries permitted.
- The cause of the fire, the type and quantity of released material, and any injuries are currently undisclosed.
- The emergency declaration was the second-highest of three categories at the site, indicating a serious incident.