'TAKE COVER': A tunnel has collapsed at the Hanford nuclear site in Washington state

Breaking news out of Washington state where we’re seeing reports that a tunnel has collapsed at the Hanford nuclear site with worker told to “take cover”:

#BREAKING: Tunnel at plutonium finishing plant collapses in Hanford @SFrameK5 reports: https://t.co/Euf37HtqL3

— KING 5 News (@KING5Seattle) May 9, 2017

EMERGENCY AT HANFORD: Employees told to "take cover" as a tunnel collapses at plutonium finishing plant.

— Susannah Frame (@SFrameK5) May 9, 2017

Clarification: collapse at Hanford is connected to PUREX building – plutonium uranium extraction plant, not the plutonium finishing plant

— Susannah Frame (@SFrameK5) May 9, 2017

The tunnel is reportedly filled with radioactive material:

The tunnel that collapsed at Hanford is full of highly contaminated materials such as hot, radioactive trains that transported fuel rods

— Susannah Frame (@SFrameK5) May 9, 2017

The site is listed as one of the “most toxic places in America”:

Some nuclear experts call Hanford ‘the Most Toxic Place in America’ amid safety Qs, @RonanFarrow reported last year https://t.co/H9Qk7KS5Yk https://t.co/L6TVw1PlXk

— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) May 9, 2017

Authorities have activated the “Hanford Emergency Operations Center” to deal with the catastrophe:

NEW: DOE activates Hanford Emergency Ops Center over concerns over subsidence in soil covering tunnels near ex-chemical processing facility. pic.twitter.com/YGLahn9xll

— ABC News (@ABC) May 9, 2017

Employees have be told to “secure ventilation” in the buildings at the facility:

BREAKING: #Hanford facility personnel evacuated. Story developing https://t.co/daqwCIsdnE pic.twitter.com/euWhzuHqem

— RT America (@RT_America) May 9, 2017

More from Hanford:

.@ENERGY press release "Hanford Emergency Information" on this morning's event. pic.twitter.com/FLdv0Ldagc

— Susannah Frame (@SFrameK5) May 9, 2017

We’ll update this post as soon as we learn more.

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