ML20151U627
| ML20151U627 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 03/31/1977 |
| From: | Gower G, Roy G, Thompson D NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| PNO-77-048, PNO-77-48, NUDOCS 9809110085 | |
| Download: ML20151U627 (1) | |
Text
_ PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION cfJ On it
_ /
, , . Ha. A 31. , 1977 j y[bfh I -v
..g PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE.-PNO-77-48 This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of an event of a
POSSIBLE safety or public interest significance. The.informatioq .
presented is as initially received without verification or evaluation and is basically all that is known by IE staff on this date.
i Licensee: Transnuclear - Import License 1079
Subject:
TRAIN WRECK INVOLVING SHIPMENT OF URANIUM-HEXAFLUORIDE (UF 6)
ERDA-EOC reportied to IE Headquarters today that they had been informed of a train wreck near Rockingham, N. C. at 0845 this morning. The wreck o , n ca. _ involved the derailment of 29 cars, i.vo of which.are flatbed cars u m :. ara l
carrying a total of 4 cylinders of UF6. Additional information from our Region II office in -Atlanta indicates 'thati'the UF6 was being shipped " " ~ - ~ "
from its port of entry,- Portsmouth, VA to -Padacah,-Kentucky by Trans -" "'
nuclear. The UF6 is reported to be unenriched (natural U) and is owned by COMURHEX, of France. d "- ' -
Response information indicates that ERDA, ' Savannah River Plant (SRP),
has sent a 4 man team to the wreck site and ERDA-Cak Ridge has sent a l 3 man team of experts to the site by plane. A Radiation Health Team j- from Ft. Bragg is reported to be at the wreck scene.
It is reported that a Transnuclear representative at the scene has stated
-i-~ that there has~not been any leakage of UFg from any of the cylinders.
The intact'cylind~rs_do.not e represent a threat ro health and safety,
.i i Should a cylinder be breeched, inhalation of its contents represents a ei .
hazard both from a radiological and a chemical toxicity standpoint. '
- Of these hazards, chemical toxicity is greater.
'I A Region II inspector has been dispatched to Rockingham by charter air-l craft. The State of North Carolina has been informed and has also
-i.. _. m --.- -dispatched representatives to the scene. DOT is aware of the wreck and is keeping informed of developments.
i .
1 It is reported that both ERDA-OR and SRP have made news releases of 1 this event. It is expected that there will be both local and national j -news coverage of this wreck because of the involvement of UF ' All 6
i press. inquiries are being referred to ERDA, PA as per agreement -
) _ between ERDA..and'NRC Public Affairs Offices. .,
Contact:
GCGower, IE x27261 GWRoy, IE x27261 DThomp' son, IE x2754'1 Distribution: Transmitted 11 St .3.'O80 Chairman Rowden C. C. Kammerer, CA ~G. F. Murphy, JCAE Commissioner Gilinsky H. H. Whiteside,'SCNR S. J. Chilk, SECY H. R. Myers, HCEE g/
/
$ 31dg 3'e6~ ;
Transmitted: MNBB.7 //d -; SS Bldg .3 J/ d ;-
L.'V..Cossick, EDO '
B. C. Ruscha, NRR K. R. Chapman, NMSS -
S. H. Hanauer, EDO R. K. Shapar, ELD blU %
J. - A. Harris , PA W. G. Mcdonald; MIPC Luge. ' (maill ; E. Volgenau IE
, R. G. Ryan, OSP T. J. McTiernan, OIA Region ff,, f//~'r ;
d 9809110085 770331 PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION PDR I&E ,
^~- ~ ~ ~~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ _..
PNO-77-048 PDR fq l V U .1, U 4