Savannah River site, USA News (South Carolina): A US nuclear facility went into emergency status after a radiological release, according to official reports. The Department of Energy’s Savannah River site in South Carolina reported that a fire broke out at the facility at 5:39 pm local time (9:39 pm GMT).
Site officials stated to local media that there had been an unfiltered ground-level radiological release stemming from the incident. The fire was subsequently extinguished, and at 2:14 am, facility authorities announced that the site area emergency had concluded.
Following the event, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a temporary flight restriction covering the surrounding airspace. The aviation agency classified the occurrence as a US Government nuclear incident, establishing a restricted zone encompassing a 15-nautical-mile radius from the surface up to 10,000 feet above sea level. Rail and river transport in the immediate area were also subjected to restrictions.
Workers situated in the affected area were instructed to shelter in place for 30 minutes following the initial report. Local media outlet WRDW first reported that employees were subsequently permitted to leave the premises, though incoming personnel were barred entry. Officials at the Savannah River site indicated that employees not directly involved in emergency response or shutdown duties remained sheltered in place.
Facility representatives maintained that there was no nuclear contamination extending beyond the boundaries of the 310-square-mile site. Local residents living near the installation were advised to monitor local news broadcasts for updates.
Situated across three counties adjacent to the river, the Savannah River Site was originally constructed in the 1950s to manufacture plutonium and tritium for nuclear weapons. Today, the facility primarily focuses on the long-term management and disposal of nuclear materials and waste. It remains the sole US facility responsible for producing tritium for the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile and houses the world’s largest radioactive waste vitrification plant.
