>
Fire ‘involving URANIUM’ breaks out at Tennessee Homeland Security Complex where America’s first atomic bomb was developed, forcing evacuation of 200 employees
- The Oak Ridge complex was the home of the Manhattan Project for research and development during World War II.
- An NNSA spokesperson confirmed that the fire started at 9:15 a.m. at the federal facility.
- Authorities confirmed that the material involved in the fire was a uranium metal compound.
A fire “involving uranium” broke out at a Homeland Security Complex in Tennessee and all personnel were evacuated from the site.
The National Nuclear Security Administration said an emergency response responded to the fire Wednesday morning at the Y-12 Homeland Security Complex in Oak Ridge.
All of its 200 employees were accounted for, and other buildings next to the site were evacuated as a precaution.
An NNSA spokesperson confirmed that the fire started at 9:15 a.m. at the federal facility and that the fire was confined to the site itself.
They added: ‘Emergency services responded to the event. The site activated the Y-12 Emergency Response Organization and we have been in close contact with local and state officials.
The National Nuclear Security Administration said an emergency response responded to the fire Wednesday morning at the Y-12 Homeland Security Complex in Oak Ridge.
The Oak Ridge complex was the home of the Manhattan Project for research and development during World War II.
“There are no reports of injuries or contamination.”
But they confirmed that they would test the employees, if necessary, after the incident.
Building 9212 is listed on the Department of Energy website as a uranium processing building, built in 1945, and serves “as one of the principal Y-12-enriched uranium production and chemical processing facilities.”
The Oak Ridge complex was home to the Manhattan Project for research and development during World War II, which produced the first nuclear weapons.
It was led by the United States with the support of the United Kingdom and Canada.
Authorities confirmed that the material involved in the fire was a uranium metal compound.
Congressional representatives were notified of the emergency as part of that response and were reportedly “comfortable” with the response.
At around 1 p.m., officials announced that the rest of the complex had returned to normal, but did not confirm whether the fire was out.
An NNSA spokesperson confirmed that the fire started at 9:15 a.m. at the federal facility and that the fire was confined to the site itself.
The site was instrumental in the United States’ victory over Nazi Germany during World War II due to the development of the atomic bomb.
The site was instrumental in the United States’ victory over Nazi Germany during World War II due to the development of the atomic bomb.
Known as the ‘Secret City’, Oak Ridge did not appear on any map and 100,000 workers were brought to the city to work on the then-secret Manhattan Project.
There have been several nuclear accidents in history with corrosion of the reactor vessel head forcing a 24-month shutdown of the Davis-Besse reactor in Ohio on February 16, 2002.
The most serious to date was the incident at Three Mile Island, near Middletown, Pennsylvania, after it partially melted on March 28, 1979.
Experts determined that approximately 2 million people in the immediate area during the accident were exposed to small amounts of radiation.
Exposure from the accident had no detectable effects on the health of plant workers or the surrounding public.
The exhaustive analysis of the events of the accident led to widespread changes in the US commercial nuclear industry.
The NRC implemented new and more stringent regulations related to enhanced training, emergency response planning, as well as updates to plant layout and equipment requirements.