Newcastle: Radioactive device found in burnt out car at Merewether Golf Club, Adamstown
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Radioactive device located in a burning car prompts emergency evacuation of residents in suburban area
- A radioactive tool was left in a burning car
- It doesn’t appear to be damaged or leaking.
- An exclusion zone has been established.
Firefighters created an exclusion zone in the middle of a major city after a radioactive device was discovered in a burned-out car.
Fire and Rescue NSW responded to calls after the stolen car was abandoned in the middle of the Merewether Golf Club course in Adamstown, Newcastle, on Tuesday night.
However, when agents located the owner Wednesday morning, they said they had left a moisture density measurement tool with a radioactive tracer inside the vehicle.
Firefighters and hazmat experts created a 100m exclusion zone around the vehicle as operations began to assess the indicator.
A burned-out car with a radioactive tool inside was abandoned on the Merewether Golf Club course (above).
“All people in the area have been evacuated for safety,” FRNSW tweeted.
Initial tests with standard radiation readers show that the tool is at its usual radiation level and does not appear to be damaged, however specialized equipment is on its way to the scene.
Once the assessment is complete, the tool will be removed from the scene and safely disposed of or, if undamaged, returned to the owner.
A FRNSW spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that the radiation is “stable and contained” with firefighters following the advice of experts, including the Environmental Protection Authority.
More to come.