PNO-I-86-046, on 860627,two Packages Containing Two Dose Units of 20 Mci Xe-133 & One Dose Unit of 12 Mci Ga-67 Fell Out of Truck During Transport.Matl Believed to Be in Inaccessible Dense Underbrush.Safety Hazard Minimal
| ML20206R918 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 03008971 |
| Issue date: | 07/03/1986 |
| From: | Glenn J, Thompson NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| PNO-I-86-046, PNO-I-86-46, NUDOCS 8607070254 | |
| Download: ML20206R918 (2) | |
~ ' DCS: 03008971/860627 Date: July 3, 1986 PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE--PNO-I-86-46 This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of POSSIBLE safety or public interest significance. The information is as initially received without verifi-cation or evaluation, and is basically all that is known by the Region I staff on this date.
Facility: Medi-Physics, Inc. Licensee Emergency Classification:
South Plainfield, New Jersey Notification of Unusual Event (L/N: 29-15360-01) Alert Site Area Emergency General Emergency X Not Applicable
Subject:
LOST XEN0N-133 and GALLIUM-67 DURING TRANSPORTATION )
On June 27, 1986, a vehicle operated by a contract carrier, New England Courier, was transporting a shipment of radiopharmaceuticals between Rye, New York and Norwalk, Connecticut on I-95. At approximately 1:30 a.m., six cartons fell from the truck near Darien, Connecticut, apparently through an unlocked window in the cap on the back of the pickup truck. Three packages were retrieved by a motorist later that morning. Three packages, one of which contained two dose units of 20 millicuries of xenon-133 each, and one dose unit of 12 millicuries
, of gallium-67, as well as two packages with non-radioactive contents, were not found upon initial searches by the Connecticut State Police and the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. Xenon-133 is NRC regulated byproduct material. Gallium-67 is produced in an accelerator and is regulated by the State.
The Headquarters Duty Officer received initial notification of the incident at 5:38 p.m. on June 27. At that time, the licensee reported that all packages had been recovered. A second notification, reporting that three packages were missing, was received by the Headquarters Duty Officer at 4:28 p.m. on June 30.
The State of Connecticut and the carrier began actively searching for the missing material on June 30. On July 2, state personnel located several pieces of the missing package. The pieces were located along a steep embankment covered with dense underbrush. No contamination or radiation levels were detected using sensitive radiation detectors. The State of Connecticut has completed its search and believes the radioactive material, apparently still in the lead shielded shipping containers, is located in inaccessible areas near where the package pieces were found.
Release of the xenon-133 presents a minimal health and safety hazard due to its gaseous form.
- Radiation exposure from the xenon-133 is minimal due to the closed, shielded container in which it is shipped. The gallium-67 is in liquid form but would not present a hazard as long as the contents are maintained within the shielded container.
The State of New York has also been notified of the incident.
Region I is maintaining contact with the licensee and the State but plans no further action to retrieve the packages at this time.
CONTACT: Thompson J. Glenn 488-1303 488-1260 8607070254 860703 PDR I8cE $
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