A site area emergency was declared at the Savannah River Site near Aiken, South Carolina, after a fire erupted at the Savannah River National Laboratory on Wednesday evening.
The blaze began around 5:39 p.m. and prompted emergency response activities. Fire crews extinguished the fire approximately two hours after it was reported, according to Savannah River Site (SRS) officials.
"No contamination has been reported outside the affected facility," SRS officials stated. As a precautionary measure, barricades were closed at site entrances, restricting incoming traffic. Restrictions were also placed on rail, river, and air traffic in the vicinity of the SRS.
Employees in areas impacted by the incident who were not involved in emergency response or shutdown operations were directed to shelter in place. SRS officials are leading the response efforts, and relevant state and local government agencies have been notified. Local residents were advised to monitor local media for updates and instructions from state officials.