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Tunnel Collapses at Hanford Nuclear Reservation

posted by takyon on Thursday May 11 2017, @01:43AM   Printer-friendly
from the bury-it dept.

butthurt writes:

KING-TV reports that "a tunnel full of highly contaminated materials collapsed" in a reprocessing facility at the Hanford nuclear site. An official said "The facility does have radiological contamination right now but there is no indication of a radiological release." The U.S. Department of Energy released statements (archived copy) saying that employees were "told to shelter in place" and that non-essential employees were sent home.

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  • (Score: 2) by butthurt on Thursday May 11 2017, @08:27AM (3 children)

    by butthurt (6141) on Thursday May 11 2017, @08:27AM (#507983) Journal

    > I get the impression that no releases into the air or nearby rivers has occurred so far.

    Not from this week's event, they say. They're burying the damaged tunnel:

    Workers have begun to fill the hole in the tunnel, located near the PUREX Plant in the 200 East Area of the Hanford Site, with soil. Approximately 50 truckloads of soil will be used to fill the hole. There is a misting machine on the right side of the photo that is being used to control dust. The operator in the cab of the excavator is wearing a protective suit and a filtered air mask.

    -- http://www.hanford.gov/c.cfm/eoc/?page=290 [hanford.gov]

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  • (Score: 2) by kaszz on Thursday May 11 2017, @08:49AM (2 children)

    by kaszz (4211) on Thursday May 11 2017, @08:49AM (#507991) Journal

    Won't the lack of a tunnel impede operations in some way?
    There must be a reason it existed to begin with.

    • (Score: 2) by Aiwendil on Thursday May 11 2017, @10:16AM (1 child)

      by Aiwendil (531) on Thursday May 11 2017, @10:16AM (#508015) Journal

      From World Nuclear News [world-nuclear-news.org]

      The tunnels - constructed of wood and concrete and covered with about 2.5 meters of soil - were built to hold rail cars that were loaded with contaminated equipment.

      • (Score: 2) by kaszz on Thursday May 11 2017, @10:28AM

        by kaszz (4211) on Thursday May 11 2017, @10:28AM (#508021) Journal

        Maybe it would be better to have those cars properly sealed before they are buried? Lest rainwater accumulate in them and overflow down to groundwater.