UPDATE: INL Fire Department responds to incident at RWMC
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IDAHO FALLS — A drum containing low activity radioactive waste breached at the Radioactive Waste Management Complex on the Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory site Wednesday.
Officials say the INL Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at the Accelerated Retrieval Project containment structure late during the night. There was an indication that a waste drum inside the facility had an elevated temperature and was breached.
There were no reports of injuries, and no radioactive contamination has been detected outside the facility, according to a news release. The ARP facility is engineered with specially designed high-efficiency particulate air filters, which are designed to trap contamination.
The Radioactive Waste Management Complex is located 55 miles west of Idaho Falls. The purpose of the RWMC is to manage, store, and dispose of radioactive and hazardous materials generated in national defense and research programs.
Employees are reporting to work per their normal shifts. Officials said some operations at RWMC are temporarily restricted.
INL’s Emergency Joint Information Center has been activated to respond to any questions the public may have about this incident. Residents can reach officials at (208) 526-5042.