Fire at US Nuclear Laboratory

A fire at the Savannah River National Laboratory in South Carolina, United States, triggered concern on Wednesday evening, prompting officials to declare an emergency over fears of a possible radiation leak. As a precaution, authorities halted vehicle movement in the surrounding area and imposed restrictions on air and rail traffic. Firefighters battled the blaze for nearly two hours before bringing it under control.

Officials later confirmed that no nuclear contamination had been detected outside the affected building. With the fire extinguished and no signs of radioactive contamination reported, the emergency was lifted at 9:45 pm. Authorities have not disclosed whether anyone was injured or what caused the fire. Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the confirmation that there was no contamination outside the facility was reassuring. He noted that radioactive materials released into the air during a fire could cause contamination and expose people to radiation. The Savannah River National Laboratory, which covers around 310 square miles, was established in the early 1950s.