A Wednesday evening fire led the Department of Energy to declare an emergency event at the Savannah River National Laboratory near Aiken, S.C., DOE said in a press release.
Management “declared a Site Area Emergency at 5:39 p.m.” Eastern Time, according to the news release issued two hours later, adding the fire had been extinguished.
“No contamination has been reported outside the affected facility,” according to the release. Entrances to the Savannah River Site (SRS) have been closed as a precaution, according to the release.
“Rail, river, and air traffic in the vicinity of SRS is also being restricted. SRS officials are directing response efforts and have notified the appropriate state and local government agencies,” according to the release.
The release did not say anything about the exact location of the fire, how it might have started, the extent of damage and whether there were any injuries.
“Local residents should tune in to local radio and TV stations where state officials will announce any actions citizens may need to take,” according to the release. “Residents should stay tuned to these stations for updated instructions.”
