The following was received from the
Kansas Department of Health and Environment via email:
A nuclear density gauge was struck at approximately 0100 [CDT], Thursday, July 16, 2015. At 0132 [CDT], [Kansas Division of Emergency Management] KDEM on duty staff officer, received a call from the Kansas Highway Patrol that a nuclear density gauge had been struck in Wichita. [Kansas Department of Transportation] KDOT was on scene. [KDOT] said the gauge was in use at the time by Cornejo and Sons. The supervisor from Cornejo was on the scene. He said the gauge was completely destroyed. He could see the source plate containing the neutron source and said the source rod was stuck in the car that hit the gauge. [KDEM] had similar incidents in the past and could put the source in 5 gallon bucket of dirt for shielding and transport both sources back to their shop, place in a secure area, and contact Troxler for further instructions. KDOT had a radiation survey instrument on scene and did not detect any unusual readings.
At that time emergency response personnel at the scene were not letting anyone approach the debris and the source rod. [Personnel at the scene] confirmed that the Cs-137 source was still intact and that Cornejo could transport both sources back to their shop. [The licensee] recovered the sources and were transporting them back to their shop. On the afternoon of July 16, 2015, [Kansas Department of Health and Environment] confirmed that Cornejo had the source rods secured. [The licensee RSO] stated that they contacted Troxler to begin the source return process i.e. pictures of the source rods as well as leak tests.
Kansas Item Number: KS150008