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.
***
Join the conversation as a VIP Member