ML20029E287
| ML20029E287 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 05/12/1994 |
| From: | Caniano R, Holt B, Lickus R, Mcduffie S, Simmons T, Slawinski W, Wiedeman D NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20029E281 | List: |
| References | |
| REF-QA-99990003-940512 99990003-94-37, NUDOCS 9405180100 | |
| Download: ML20029E287 (20) | |
Text
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U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION III Report No. 99990003/94037(DRSS)
License No. Non-License Docket No. 99990003 Site Assistance Provided:
March 18-19 and 21, 1994 to The City of Cleveland Location: Ward 12, Vicinity of 6600 Morgan Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio NRC Site Representatives:
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'Roland Lickus, Chief Date State and Government Affairs (A]m kJ l~ Y~ 9 'l Wayne (51awinski, Senior Date Radiation Speciali t pk cT-9' 9 Y Darrel Wiedeman, Senior Date Radiation Specialist ll h(
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Radiation Specialist b:.%
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C- 'l - 9 y B. J1 Holt, Chief Date Nuclear Materials Inspection Section 1
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Approved By:
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RoyfAahiano, Chief Date Nbpf e/ Materials Safety Branch 9405180100 940512 REC 3 GA999 ELOCLEVE 99990003 PDR
4 Inspection Summary NRC Assistance to the City of Cleveland on March 18-19 and 21, 1994 (Report No. 99990003/94037(DRSS))
Areas Inspected:
The NRC dispatched four NRC Region III representatives to Cleveland, Ohio to assist the Cleveland Fire Department and provide technical support to the city in its efforts to locate a radioactive source that may have been housed in a container discovered by a Cleveland resident.
NRC's assistance included contacts made to determine the likely contents, use and owner of the container; radiological surveys of selected areas and homes located in Cleveland's Ward 12; neighborhood house-to-house canvassing; technical support at press conferences; and interviews of various personnel, Results: No radioactive source was discovered nor was the owner of the container identified.
However, Cleveland Fire Department and NRC investigation revealed no evidence to suggest that the abandoned container housed a radioactive source when it was discarded in the public domain of Cleveland's twelfth ward earlier in March 1994.
No radiological hazard or threat to the public existed from the container's presence in the community.
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a DETAILS 1.
Persons Contacted William Denihan, Director, Department of Public Safety, City of Cleveland Mark Friedman, Vice President, Sam Katz & Company Donald Huston, Ward 12 Resident Richard Katz, President, Sam Katz & Company Warren Malchman, Radiation Safety Officer, Case Western Reserve University Edward O'Malley, Jr., Radiation Safety Officer, Sam Katz & Company Robert Owen, Chief, Bureau of Radiological Health Sciences, Ohio Department of Health Thomas Root, Fire Marshall, Fire Prevention Bureau, City of Cleveland Edward Rybka, Councilman, Ward 12 Mark Scott, Lieutenant, Hazardous Material Section, Fire Prevention Bureau, City of Cleveland Art Shumpert, Foreman, Sam Katz & Company James Williams, Chief of Staff, Ohio Emergency Management Agency John Wills, Resident Analysis, Ohio Emergency Management Agency NRC representatives also contacted several other persons including Ohio Department of Health representatives, other City of Cleveland representatives, several residents of Cleveland's Ward 12, former Gamma Industries employees, selected licensees and scrap metal dealers in the Cleveland area.
2.
Incident Summary On March 16, 1994, a Cleveland resident noticed three unidentified children playing with a large green lead shielded container at 6610 Morgan Avenue, a combination industrial / residential neighborhood in Cleveland's 12th ward.
The children fled as the resident approached the site. The container is approximately 9-inches in height, 8-inches in diameter and weighs about 150 pounds. A partially obliterated radioactive material label was affixed to the container indicating
" Gamma Industries Model G-4."
A hinged cap atop the container, which provided access to the container's pencil type storage well, was
.i unlocked.
The resident placed the container.into his automobile and contacted the Cleveland Fire' Department.
Radiological surveys performed by the Fire Department's Hazardous.
Material Section of the container and the site-where the container was found revealed no radioactivity. Additional surveys of the container and area performed by an Ohio Emergency Management Agency representative verified the absence of a radioactive source.
However, a smear sample taken from inside the containers storage well and analyzed by Cleveland's Case Western Reserve University showed low levels of 3
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The leaded container (pig) was transported to Cleveland's Fire Training Academy and placed in secure storage.
On March 17, 1994, the Ohio Emergency Management Agency contacted NRC Region III (Chicago) and informed the staff of the information known to date, On March 18, 1994, NRC dispatched four Region III representatives to Cleveland, Ohio to support the Cleveland Fire Department and assist state and local officials in coordinating the response to the potential radiological hazard. Another Region III representative provided additional assistance on March 21, 1994.
A summary of NRC's participation-in this incident is provided in the section below.
3.
Summary of NRC Participation On March 18, 1994, NRC Region III activated its Incident Response Center (IRC) to monitor the ongoing activities in Cleveland, Ohio.
Although no health and safety problem or threat was known to exist, the situation was judged to warrant continuous monitoring and assessment by the NRC due to the potential radiological hazard that may exist to the public.
NRC dispatched two inspectors already working in the Cleveland area on other matters and two others from the Region III office to the site, to assist the City of Cleveland.
Shortly after NRC's arrival at the site on March 18, 1994, Region III
- representatives performed confirmatory surveys of the container and the area immediately surrounding the site where it was found, and verified the absence of a radiological hazard. NRC representatives participated in a press conference lead by the City of Cleveland's Director, Department of Public Safety.
Later that day, NRC representatives conducted additional, more wide spread, radiation surveys of the neighborhood where the container was found to ensure that no significant radiological hazard existed in the community.
Concurrent with the above Cleveland area (site) activities, NRC Region III attempted-to trace ownership of the container through the container manufacturer, and ascertain information regarding the container and its possible use and contents. Although Gamma Industries, the likely container manufacturer, was purchased roughly ten years ago by another company, a former employee of Gamma Industries indicated that similar containers were used in the 1950's and 1960s to store and transport sealed radioactive sources used for industrial radiography and/or well logging purposes.
Since the container was-apparently designed for high energy, high activity sources, Region III contacted a number of licensees in'the Ohio area who may have used such containers,. including 4
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industrial radiographers, well loggers, and manufacturers and distributors of gauging devices, none of which claimed ownership.
Region III also contacted several scrap metal dealers in the Cleveland area and provided the Cleveland Police Department with a sketch of the container for distribution to local scrap dealers.
On March 19, 1994, NRC site representatives participated in a support role to Cleveland's Department of Public Safety and it's Fire Department, canvassing the neighborhood where the container was discovered. The Ohio Department of Health and Cleveland Police Department also participated in these efforts.
Six teams, each comprised of Fire Department personnel and accompanied by either an Ohio Department of Health inspector or NRC representative, surveyed-the neighborhood and selected homes surrounding the 6600 Morgan Avenue location using sensitive radiation detection equipment, and conducted house-to-house canvassing in an effort to locate the children that may have played with the container. Although about 80 percent of Cleveland's Ward 12 was canvassed, encompassing a several mile radius around the container discovery site, none of the children were located.
No radioactivity above background was detected in any areas surveyed, including surveys of the automobile, home and clothing of the resident who discovered the container on March 16, 1994.
Tests for removable contamination taken by NRC representatives from the interior surfaces of the container's source storage well on March 19, 1994, were analyzed in the Region III laboratory and showed 0.0002 microcuries of removable cesium-137 contamination.
This level of contamination represents about four (4) percent of the NRC regulatory limit for cesium-137 sealed source leakage and consequently does not pose a radiological hazard.
Concurrent with the above activities, North East Ohio Regional Sewer District representatives conducted radiation surveys in the 6600 Morgan Avenue sewer system.
No radiation source was detected.
A Region Ill representative participated in the second and final press conference conducted by the Department of Public Safety on the evening of March 19, 1994.
Throughout the day on March 19, 1994, Region III's IRC remained activated and staffed as did the NRC Operations Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
Commission briefings were held periodically and the situation was continually assessed by the NRC staff.
The IRC was deactivated the evening of March 19, 1994.
On March 21, 1994, a Region III Radiation Specialist assisted the Cleveland Fire Department to track down leads and interview individuals with possible knowledge of the containers origin.
These interviews disclosed that the container was apparently discarded on or near the property of Sam Katz & Company, a Cleveland scrap metal dealer, by unidentified persons on or about March 8,1994. According to workers 5
at Sam Katz & Company, the container was empty when found and radiation measurements performed by the workers indicated no radioactivity above background levels.
The container was discarded by company personnel at 6610 Morgan Avenue shortly thereafter.
A " Trip Report" summarizing the NRC Radiation Specialist's interviews and related activities is provided as Attachment 1.
NRC photographs taken of the container and Morgan Avenue ;ocation are provided as Attachment 11.
NRC's Preliminary Notification and the City of Cleveland's March 18, 1994 Press Release are provided as Attachments Ill and IV, respectively. Attachment V is a collection of Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper articles related to the incident.
4.
Conclusion The container discovered by the resident on March 16, 1994, at 6610 Morgan Avenue did not house a radioactive source.
The empty container was apparently discarded near the property of Sam Katz & Company by unidentified person (s) on or about March 8, 1994. Although, the children reported to have played with the container on March 16, 1994 could not be located, there is no evidence to suggest the children or resident who discovered the container were exposed to hazardous levels of radioactivity.
The container was likely manufactured in the 1950s or 1960s as a storage and transport device for high activity cesium-137 or cobalt-60 sealed sources, used in industrial radiography or well logging applications.
Any person or other entity which may have possessed the source presumably housed in the container at some point in time, would have been licensed by the Atomic Energy Commission or the NRC.
Such licensed entities (licensees) would have been periodically inspected to ensure radioactive material was properly used, stored, transferred or disposed.
Since no serial number was visible on the container and because of its age, its previous owner could not be traced.
Nevertheless, it appears likely that the container had not housed a radioactive source for over 20 years and was discarded by its owner as scrap metal.
l Investigation by the Cleveland Fire Department subsequent to March 21, 1994, disclosed no additional information regarding the container's owner or presence of a radioactive source. This investigation included the physical search of a salvage dealer's facility, purported to have knowledge of the container found on Morgan Avenue and possibly possessing several other similar conthiners.
The lead container continues to be stored at Cleveland's Fire Training i
Academy.
The academy plans to maintain possession of the container for use in training its hazardous material unit. The fire department, in conjunction with the Radiation Safety Office of Case Western Reserve l
University, will decontaminate the container's stcrage well and deface its radioactive material label.
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The storage well contamination poses no radiological hazard to persons.
handling the container.
' Both the NRC and City of Cleveland plan no further action on this matter at this time.
Should additional informiition be obtained pertaining to NRC regulatory or radiation safety issucs, the case may be reopened.
i Attachments: As stated n
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TRIP REPORT CLEVELAND, OHIO. CONTAMINATED LEAD CONTAINER INCIDENT DATE OF DIRECT INVOLVEMENT - MARCH 21-22, 1994 On the morning of March 21, 1994, I arrived at the Superior Avenue Fire Station in Cleveland Ohio to meet with Lt. Mark Scott of the Hazardous Material Section of the Fire Prevention Bureau.
Prior -to my arrival, Lt.
Scott had received a telephone call from Richard Katz, president of Sam Katz &
Company. Mr. Katz indicated that he and some of his staff hed information regarding the lead container found near Company property (which is located at 6700 Morgan Avenue).
Mr. Katz was willing to be interviewed and arrangements were made for Lt. Scott and myself to meet him at the Morgan Avenue address.
As a result of this meeting the following information was obtained:
Sam Katz & Company deals in scrap metals, primarily titanium, nickel and stainless steel. Most of the scrap received comes from product manufacturers, however, the Company occasionally buys these metals from other scrap dealers.
On or about March 7th, several of Mr. Katz's employees noticed a heavy container in front of the office on the tree parkway (see attached drawing of the container).
On or about March 8th or 9th, on separate occasions, Mark Friedman, Vice President and Art Shumpert, Foreman, opened the port and looked inside.
Neither man saw anything inside, however, only Mr. Shumpert was certain that he viewed the port from top to bottom confirming that the container was empty. Neither Shumpert nor Friedman noticed the radioactive material label attached to the top of the container.
At some point during the week, Mr. Friedman directed Mr. Shumpert to survey the container with a Bicron Micro Analyst micro R survey instrument and move it to a location away from the office entrance. Mr. Shumpert confirmed that he performed the survey and used a " bob cat" to move the container away from the entrance to about 200' down the parkway.
Both tasks were completed no later than March 1.Ith.
According to Mr. Shumpert, his survey showed no radiation measurement above background (10 uR).
The Company purchased the Bicron instrument in September.
1993 and records indicate that it had been calibrated by the manufacturer on September 7, 1993.
I asked Mr. Shumpert to show me exactly where the container had been located and to demonstrate with the survey instrument how the survey was performed.
I was satisfied with the results of the demonstration. A side by side comparison was done with the licensee's instrument and an NRC instrument (Ludlum Micro R Meter, NRC# 015522, Cal Date: 7/93), both instruments measured 10 uR as background.
Mr. Katz denied ownership or any knowledge of the container other than the fact that it showed up in front of the business in early March.
The Company-does not handle lead as a metal in the course of its business and would have no use for it for any other reason.
Lt. Scott and I toured the facilities (two separate buildings) and observed scrap metals / alloys in primarily in the form of plate or bars. One building was devoted to titanium processing only.
During the tour, I surveyed as'many individual barrels and scrap piles as possible with the Ludlum Micro R Meter.
Except for two pieces of metal plate -
I measuring 300 micro R, no radiation levels above 10 micro R were detected.
Those two pieces of metal plate were returned to the Company in June 1993 from a shipment to National Nickel Alloy in Greenville Pennsylvania.
The metal
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3y plate were isolated and contained in a barrel.
This matter was discussed with B. J. Holt of Rill NRC and Jim Yusko, Pennsylvania Department of Health in June 1993. The contaminant is believed to be thorium.
The Bicron Micro R Meter was purchased following this incident and is used to survey all incoming scrap.
Katz & Company has an NRC license which authorizes the use of Cd-109 and Am-241 in a self contained Kevex machine used to analyze alloy contents. The device contains 42 millicuries total of Cd-109 and Am-241.
Surveys at a foot from the device in the "off" and "on" positions showed no radiation levels above background.
l CONCLUSION:
Statements made by the foreman indicate that the lead container was empty prior to 3/16/94 when a citizen spotted children playing around it.
According to Mr. Katz and others of the Company and based upon the type of scrap processed, it appears that Katz & Company had no use for the container.
l PERSONS CONTACTED AT SAM KATZ & COMPANY:
Richard Katz, President Mark Friedman, Vice President t
Bert Newman, Administrative Officer Art Shumpert, Foreman Ed O'Malley, Jr., RSO on NRC license At least two other workers at Sam Katz & Company On March 22, 1994, I went to Case Western Reserve University to conduct routine inspections of several non-broadscope licenses. Upon arriving at the University, the RSO indicated that his assistant had received a telephone call at approximately 4:40 pm on March 21th from an individual who claimed to know where the radiation source belonging in the aforementioned lead container was located.
The caller indicated that Richard Katz was the owner of the source.
He further indicated that the sources were being used in a Kevex machine'and that Mr. Katz had about a half dozen of these sources. Karl Von Ahn, Assistant RSO gave the caller an NRC telephone number and advised him to bring his concerns to NRC attention.
There is no indication that the caller followed his advice.
The caller did not leave his name.
No further inspection effort was directed at Sam Katz & Company since (a) I had visited the facilities the on March 21th, (b) had visually inspected the Kevex' unit, (c) had an employee demonstrate use of the device and (d) had generally conducted a radiation survey of the facilities and found no elevated measurements except as described above.
Therefore, it would appear that the allegation was unsubstantiated in that the sources in the Kevex machine were 4
not associated with the lead container.
Toye Simmons, Radiation Specialist
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. Date: March 18, 1994 PR'LIMINARY_110TIFI_ CATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE PNO-III-94-15 E
h preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of jSIBLE safety or public interest significance.
The information is as initially received without verification or evaluation, and is basically all that is known by the Region III staff on this date.
Facility LiceDsee Emergency Classi ficatj on Cleveland Fire Department General Emergency Cleveland, Ohio Site Area Emergency Alert Non-licensee Unusual Event X Not Applicable
Subject:
POSSIBLE MISSING RADIOACTIVE SOURCE At 1:00 p.m (CST) on March 17, 1994, Ohio Emergency Management Agency contacted Region III (Chicago) regarding an abandoned chic]ded lead container
(" pig") ur.ed to store and transport radioactive materials.
The container was unlocked and empty, but had internal contamination.
At approximately 11:00 a.m.
(EST) on March 16, 1994, a resident of Cleveland saw three children playing with a lead container at 6610 Morgan Avenue in a light industrial and residential neighborhood.
The children ran away as he approached the site.
A partially obliterated label was on the container with the words " Gamma Industries" from Louisiana. (The company is out of business.)
resident took the container to the Cleveland Fire Department.
The cland Fire Department monitored the container with radiological uipment and found no evidence of a radioactive source contained inside.
e Radiological equipment was used to survey the area where the container was found and no radiological source or contamination was found.
The Cleveland Fire Department contacted the Ohio Emergency Management Agency which conducted further radiological inspections.
No contamination was found on the exterior of the container.
Ilowever, low level removable contamination was detected inside the container.
Case Western University in Cleveland analyzed the contamination and identified it as cesium-137.
The container is currently secured at the Cleveland Fire Training Academy.
The Cleveland Fire Department is currently searching for the children who were playing with the container.
The Cleveland Fire Department is planning a news conference later today.
(March 18) to provide information on the container and precautions to be used if a radioactive source had been inside.
(The container would be used to store up to a curie level radioactive source -- such a source if held close to the body for more than a few minutes could cause a radiation burn.)
There have been no reports of a missing radioactive source in the Cleveland area.
Region III (Chicago) is attempting to determine the use of the Q age container and to identify its owner.
kW on III has two inspectors in the Cleveland area on other matters who have been dispatched to assist the vire Department.
A third inspector and the Chief, State and Government Affairs, are being dispatched to Cleveland
toas'sist state and local personnel in coordinating the response to this
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Public Affairs is also coordinating-vith cleveland personnel.
.I Tbc State of Ohio has been notified.
The information is current'as of 9:30
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(CST) on March 18, 1994.
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CONTACT-
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Joh adora 1111am Axelson 70 /829-9834 708/829-9800 J
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Crf7OF CLEVlWIND DIVISION OF FIRE FIRE PREVENTION IHJREAU 3/18/94 PRESS REl.E ASE The Cleveland Fire Department is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the abanhnment of a storage container for radioactive material. The container conunonly called a
" pig" is constructed ofIcad and it is used to storc and transport radioactive material.
A City resident discovered the " pig' on a tree lawn ares in front of 6610 Mun gun Ave. on Wednesday 3/16/94. At that time he noted that there were three children, ranging in age from eight years to fourteen years, playing with the container. After chasing the children away from the container he discovered that a tabel on it marked "radioactivo material" along with a precautionary statement. The citizen placed the pig into his car, transpot ted it to his home and then he contacted the Cleveland Fire Department.
Bued upon the information supplied by the resident, CFD Haz Mat Units responded to the scenc. Endiologhal equipment was used by the CFD to survey the container There were no elevated readings noted. The inside storage companment of the comainct that would nonnally hold a radioactive source was inspected and was found to be empty. The pig was placed into a CFD vehicle in order to secure it. The area where the container was found (6610 Morgan Ave.)
was then inspected. Radiological equipment was again used to survey the area in order to detennine if a radioactive source was here. There were no cicvated readings noted and/or a radioactive source found.
The incident was reported to a local branch of the State of Ohio Emergency Management A ency. Radiological Andyst Mr. John Wills otYered his assistance and expertise and drove to 8
Cleveland. Further analysis of the container indicated that there was radioactive contamination inside of the storage compartment. A sample taken to Case Westeta University confirmed that there was radioactive contamination (Cesium 137) present. Assistance in the investigationis also being offered from the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC).
Both privato and public r,chools have been notifled of the situntion in hopes ofidentifying the children that muy have been in the area of the container on Wedncaday 3/16/94 at approximately 1100 AM.
Shnuld a radioactive source exist in the community, it should be noted that there can be SEVERE HEALTH EFFECTS to any individual if there is contact and/or exposure. Anyone with information regarding this incident should call the Cleveland Fire Department at 664-6664 (days) or 664-6350 (24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br />).
It is the intention of Local, State, and Federal agencies to investigate this incident thoroughly in order to enture the health and safety of the citizens of Cleveland.
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tests and found no radioactive g
h p-sources in the sewer systum.
Meanwhile, another person re-
'l ported coming in contact with the By DOUGl.AS MONTERO 250 pound,9-inch-tall tank.
I l works for Cleveland l'ublic l'ower, I
Jesse Hrceg, 20, of Elyria, who Pt.AN OCAL.CA REPOATER CLEVELAND Federal officitus concluded yes.
told authorities he shoved the tank j
terdsy that the radioactive materia; with his foot Mondey while install-i ing a street lamp to a pole.
commonly stored ir. a discarded The revelation broadens the risk tank' found Wednesday was not in of nposure to raidents because it the area where the container had indicates the discarded tank had been recovered, i
As the federal authorities rnade been on the Morgan Ave. tree lawn their survey' of the neighborhood for at least three days before it w.is.
i discovered.
yesterday, a massive search failed A small amount of radioactivity to turn up the three children coen playing with the radioactive stor.
was found inside the container by age tank on MorEan Ave Wednes-experts,at Case Western Her,erve day.
Univeruty. But no radiation could be detected on Don Huston, who "The Nuclecr Itchulatory Corn-turned in the container. -
mission has no evidence that would lead us to believe that there Investigators are also searching for an unidentified man who told i:, a radiation source in that de-Grenghters he used to work in the vice," said Roland Lickus, the gov.
esmnent's lead investigator in the arca and recalled seeing about Ove s:milar tanks inside a nearby busi-case.
Officials armed with tensitive ra.
ness, fDeiats said.
Authoritics had been unable to diation gauges failed to pick up find the man as oflate yesterday, any radioactive "cource" in the Huston,41, of E. 75th St., spotted area. The devices, which were used door-to door, are'so sensitive that three boys, ages 8 to 14, playing with the tank at 11 a.m. Wednes-they can detect a radioactive source inside a house from the en-day. He chased t(iem away, saw the radioactive warning label, took the trance tank home and called 9-1 1.
More than 40 city, county, state SEE SEARMRS/4 8 and federal of6cials fanned out to check the area, Lickus said,
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kids who touched for kids who had radioactive tank Old tank Dy DOUGt.AC MONTERO Pt.AN DEALER REPo8TER CHILDREN FROM1-A Federal, state, coun y rd t N
l Huston read n' label on the tank officials say they're looking for three children who played with a
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saying it contained radioactive radioactive storage tank in an East mateilal and put It in his car. Ile Side industrial area Wednesdav, took it, home and called 911, "I They say one of the children may know mds, they would've come have walked off with hnardous back if I would've left it there,"
cargo that may have been inside the 250-vound Winth tcil trmk - a $
M b. y-said Huston.who is the father of a 3-year-old boy..
single bullet. size radioactive pellet. E;.
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.U@. Nuclear Regulatory Com-
"This is not a Mickey Mouse mission omcials checked Huston drill we're talking about here,"
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said Cleveland Fire Inslectnr Capt.
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.. y^ _ I with a Geiger counter, which men-sures radiation, und found his m+
Thomas Root. "Thh, is wrious y jeans and hands were exposed to stuff."
q t, mall levelt, of radiation. Huston Accord ng to federalomeials,if a child put the pel]rt in a twket a (O
plans to see a doctor.
"We can't afrord to h one of the these radioacu. ave evenve pellett
-adiation burn would appear in rwnomru encrum mmutes, fol!cwed by a sore days This 250-pound storage tank.
to be lost in Ohio." said Arthur C.
later. But authoritier say a mere niay hwe contained radioactive Lucas, vice president of Victoreen
!ikely scenano is that a child would nt&nd Inc, a Solon ecmpany that makes p! ace it on a dresser or desk and be Geiger counters. "]t would be dis exposed to radiation day'-to-dav.
astrous to the individual."
After a few months expo'3are, egnilwnes that handle the adivac-
'Ihc green lead containcr. called tm rnaler.a1 report no missing the person could tw susceptible to storage tanks.
a pig, was used to store Cesium developing cancer later, Nutiers were wnt to city schools The tank odysacy sta rtc<t liti, commonly used for gauges in ml and well drilling, said Roland Friday about the pellet. And a Wednesday when Don lIuston,41, L.ickus, a Chicaco-based NHC om.
f anned of E 75th St., spotted the young.
clat The substance was identified l
door to-door search is near the tree lawn in the 6600 Meis. Between 8 and 14 years old, by Cm We. tern iter.crve Univer-bkick of Moty.an Ave where the playing with the container about sity experts who examined the tank was found.
I1 a.rn. He chased them away tank and found low levels of radia-Omcials cald Clewland area SEE CHILDitEN/12-A tion,mside.
Huston said he found the tank upright, with the lid open. A thumb site hole for the pellet would make it almost impossible for a child to reach inside.
Omcials speculated the tank is 30 to 40 years old. A label says the tank belongs to Gamma Industries Inc. of Baton Rouge, La.,which has since moved to Canada. Gamrna has no missing tanks, NRC spe-cialist Darrel G. Wiedeman said.
Fire omcials didn't know how the tank got to Morgan Ave, or how long it had been there. Lickus, cit.
ing the concern for the children's safety, refused to r,ay what penSI-tics a person would face for dump-ing a radioactive tank, Anyone with information about the tank should call the Fire De.
partment at 664-6864 or 004 0350.
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r;&;) ng i l 'wr ^ v st 5' I [f] ,% " +g"* i mmocu sicum i Darret G. Wiedeman, a senior health physicist, inspects an area on Morgan Ave. where a radioactive l containnr was found Officials fear youngsters may have taken a buttet size radioactive pellet from the
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UE 4 MAIN.y. 6%$55.,$d.b, w I Search for kids, No radiation. however, was detected in the area. radioactive r pellel CIldS City man faces murder CLEVELAND - Federal and cliarge in beating deatii local officials ended their search for three children seen playing L with a discarded radioactive ers,49, of Yale Ave., was j. , 9 Agj storage tank and for the pellet charged yesterday with aggra-4;,, iipj Q;c, the tank may have contained. vated murder in the beating. death of a Cleveland man in the Cleveland authorities say g they spoke with a man who victim's E. 80th St. home about works near where the tank was 3 a.m. Monday, police said. I "" George W. Powell,61, died of The man recalled checking blows to the body, according to ' the tank for its contents on the Cuyahoga County coroner's March 7 and finding it empty, office. IIe was found on the liv-according to a news release g from Safety Director Wilham $ $ J,$ M @ Mp,3dfggfitj Denihan. Rogers surrendered to police N.IANYid3Eddl8ddbIMM k Don lluston, of E. 75th St., several hours after Powell's spotted the three boys, between death. Police said the men knew the ages of 8 and 14, playing each other. The motive for the j with the tank about 11 a.m. beating has not been deter-i March 16 on Morgan Ave. mined. IIe chased them away, took Rogers was in City Jaillast i. the tank home and called 0-1 1. psjg. Q!hi$;jpg;n.dgg g $ g' 4" Off cials canvassed the neigh. night. IIe is scheduled to appear $09%d. <W borhood looking for the chil. today in Cleveland Municipal
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