Fire stops Savannah River lab traffic
A blaze at a South Carolina nuclear facility triggered the second-highest alert level before crews extinguished the flames.
By Rahul Garnier ·
Federal authorities blocked all incoming traffic to the Savannah River Site in South Carolina on Wednesday, October 28.
The restriction followed a fire at the Savannah River National Laboratory, a facility managed by the U.S. Department of Energy. The incident triggered a Site Area Emergency, which is the second-highest classification used at the complex.
The site is located near Aiken. It was built during the Cold War to produce plutonium and tritium for the United States nuclear weapons program. Current operations center on scientific research, environmental cleanup, and the management of radioactive waste and nuclear materials.
Officials moved quickly to secure the area. They restricted nearby air, rail, and river transportation. Certain employees received orders to shelter in place as a precautionary measure.
Emergency crews put out the fire on Wednesday evening. Officials conducted radiological surveys of the area. The tests found no detectable contamination. Authorities then lifted the emergency declaration and reopened the site entrances.
The cause of the fire remains unknown. Officials have not announced the results of an investigation.
Source: WCOA
