The Newshound

Watchdogs sound alarm after a fire at the South Carolina nuclear site where the US plans to build a nuclear component

The Savannah River National Laboratory in South Carolina, where a Wednesday-evening fire triggered a Site Area Emergency and prompted the FAA to impose a temporary flight restriction over the complex.
The Savannah River National Laboratory in South Carolina, where a Wednesday-evening fire triggered a Site Area Emergency and prompted the FAA to impose a temporary flight restriction over the complex.

Officials confirmed there was an "unfiltered, ground-level radiological release" during Wednesday's blaze at the Savannah River National Laboratory near Aiken, South Carolina, though authorities said contamination was not detected beyond the facility's perimeter. The FAA placed a flight restriction over the area, citing a US government "nuclear incident", while rail, river and road traffic near the site were all temporarily halted. The emergency declaration, ranking second among three emergency categories, was lifted at 9.45pm once firefighters had brought the fire under control; a single employee was hospitalised with minor injuries.

The Savannah River Site produced tritium and plutonium-239 for US nuclear weapons during the Cold War and still handles radioactive material today.

Nuclear safety watchdogs are now raising alarms specifically because the US has plans to build a new nuclear component at the same site.

MoreMetroFire breaks out at lab that produces nuclear weapons materialThe IndependentPanic at federal nuclear site as raging blaze shuts down air, rail and ground travelUSA TodayFire at South Carolina nuclear site triggers emergency response - USA TodayDaily RecordEmergency warning issued after radioactive material released in fire at nuclear siteWashington TimesFire breaks out at South Carolina nuclear labAPWatchdogs raise alarms about fire at South Carolina site where US plans to build nuclear component
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