Fire at South Carolina DOE Lab Ends Emergency Declaration

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Emergency officials in South Carolina declared a site-wide emergency on Wednesday afternoon after a fire broke out at the Savannah River National Laboratory, a Department of Energy (DOE) facility near Aiken. The incident occurred at the Savannah River Site (SRS), where the fire was reported just after 5:00 p.m. and extinguished by the evening, with the emergency status lifted before 10:00 p.m.

SRS officials stated in a social media post that protective actions had been lifted, and site barricades were reopened. The post also confirmed that radiological surveys found no detectable levels of contamination, and that Highway 125 remains open. Employees were advised to report to work as usual on Thursday, October 29.

Fox News reported that the SRS temporarily restricted rail, river, and air traffic in the area during the incident. One worker was taken to a hospital with minor injuries, though no details about the extent of the injuries were provided.

The Savannah River Site has a long history of nuclear research and production, dating back to the 1950s. It was instrumental in the creation of materials used in nuclear weapons, including tritium and plutonium-239. The site operated five reactors and two chemical separations plants, known as ‘canyons,’ which processed irradiated fuel to extract valuable nuclear materials. Over the course of its operation from 1953 to 1988, the site produced approximately 36 metric tons of plutonium.

Edwin Lyman, Director of Nuclear Power Safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists, commented on the incident, noting that while the absence of off-site contamination was reassuring, the presence of radioactive materials in a fire situation necessitates extreme caution. He emphasized the potential for dispersal and public exposure, highlighting the importance of stringent safety protocols at such facilities.

Source: Breitbart

Written by

Ryan Wilson