Site Area Emergency Declared at Savannah River Nuclear Site After Laboratory Fire

A fire at the Savannah River National Laboratory near Aiken, South Carolina, prompted officials to declare a Site Area Emergency at the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site on Wednesday. One employee suffered minor injuries, according to the agency.

The Savannah River Site, known as SRS, issued the declaration at 5:39 p.m. after the blaze broke out at the laboratory. An updated notice from SRS said the emergency was terminated at 9:45 p.m., once the fire had been extinguished and radiological surveys found no detectable levels of contamination.

A DOE spokesperson told Fox News that one employee was taken to a hospital with minor injuries. "No radiological contamination has been reported," the spokesperson said.

Officials said all protective actions have been lifted and site barricades have reopened. Highway 125 stayed open throughout the incident, and traffic at site entrances resumed after those entrances were temporarily barricaded as a precaution. Earlier, SRS had announced restrictions on rail, river and air traffic near the site.

Workers who had been told to shelter in place were allowed to go back to their normal duties. Oncoming shift workers were instructed to report as usual, and all other employees were told to return to work as scheduled on Thursday, Oct. 29. "There are currently no operational emergencies or scheduled delays for the Savannah River Site," an SRS notification update stated.

SRS officials directed the response and notified the appropriate state and local government agencies. Local residents had been advised to monitor local radio and television stations for updates and any instructions from state officials.

The site is a major installation in the nation's weapons complex and, according to its website, has supported the U.S. military's strategic deterrence mission for more than 75 years. The Department of Energy says the installation manages nuclear materials and radioactive waste, with cleanup operations aimed at protecting the surrounding environment.

"While serving as one of the nation's most critical pieces in the weapons complex, the site is also one of the safest major industrial sites in the world. Ensuring national security, protecting workers, the public, and the environment, are our highest goals," the SRS website states.

The facility was built in the 1950s, when five reactors were constructed to produce materials used in nuclear weapons, primarily tritium and plutonium-239. Several support facilities were also added, including two chemical separation plants.