Savannah River Site declares emergency after lab fire injures one

The Department of Energy declared a Site Area Emergency at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina on Wednesday evening. The alert began at 5:39 p.m. following a fire at the Savannah River National Laboratory near Aiken. One employee sustained minor injuries and was transported to a hospital, according to a DOE spokesperson.

Officials terminated the emergency at 9:45 p.m. on the same day. This action followed the extinguishing of the fire and radiological surveys that detected no levels of contamination. A DOE spokesperson confirmed that no radiological contamination was reported. All protective actions were lifted, and site barricades reopened.

An SRS notification update stated that there were no operational emergencies or scheduled delays. Oncoming shift workers were instructed to report for duty as usual. All other employees were told to return to work on Thursday, Oct. 29. Shift workers who had been directed to shelter in place were also cleared to return to their posts.

Highway 125 remained open throughout the incident. Traffic at site entrances resumed after officials temporarily barricaded them as a precaution. Earlier, SRS officials restricted all rail, river, and air traffic near the facility. State and local government agencies were notified as SRS directed response efforts.

Local residents were advised to monitor local radio and television stations for updates. They were instructed to follow any guidance from state officials. The Savannah River Site is a major installation in the nation’s weapons complex. It has supported the U.S. military’s strategic deterrence mission for more than 75 years.

The facility manages nuclear materials and radioactive waste. Cleanup operations at the site aim to protect the surrounding environment. The installation was constructed in the 1950s. Five reactors were built to produce materials for nuclear weapons, including tritium and plutonium-239. Two chemical separation plants were also built as support facilities.