A tunnel used to store highly radioactively contaminated waste at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in southeast Washington state collapsed Tuesday, leading to a declaration of emergency.
According to the Washington state Department of Ecology, officials have not detected a release of radiation and no workers were injured. Radiological surveys are continuing.
The Tri-City Herald reports that following the breach, which was discovered early Tuesday morning, “several thousand workers at the Hanford nuclear reservation were told to take shelter in buildings.” An emergency was declared just before 8:30am local time.
The paper continued:
Local NBC affiliate station KING 5 reported: “A manager sent a message to all personnel telling them to ‘secure ventilation in your building’ and ‘refrain from eating or drinking’.”
KING 5 reporter Susannah Frame said the watchdog group Hanford Challenge had called the situation “a crisis.”
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