A fire at the Department of Energy's Savannah River National Laboratory in South Carolina on Wednesday evening prompted concerns of a radiological release, leading to temporary shutdowns of rail, river, and air traffic in the vicinity.
The fire, which originated in a single room within the facility, was reported shortly before 5:40 p.m. and extinguished by emergency crews less than two hours later. Officials stated that while no contamination was detected outside the immediate building where the fire occurred, an "unfiltered ground-level radiological release" did take place, according to reports citing the Savannah River Site (SRS).
Employees within the affected Area A lab were instructed to shelter in place for approximately 30 minutes. Other workers not involved in emergency response or shutdown operations were also sheltered as a precautionary measure. Site entrances were restricted, and incoming traffic was halted.
The Savannah River Site is an extensive U.S. Department of Energy complex encompassing 310 square miles across multiple South Carolina counties. It houses the Savannah River National Laboratory, which engages in research concerning nuclear environmental cleanup and related technologies, functioning as both a cleanup site and a center for national security and nuclear science.
