PNO-I-98-024, on 980623,NRC Operations Ctr Notified by Personnel from Ny City Bureau of Radiological Health That Radioactive Sources Had Been Found in Apartment in Bronx. Sources & Drain Pipe Currently in Bureau'S Lab
| ML20249C304 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 06/25/1998 |
| From: | Courtemanche S, Mcgrath J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| PNO-I-98-024, PNO-I-98-24, NUDOCS 9806290027 | |
| Download: ML20249C304 (2) | |
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June 25, 1998 JEJtbMINAE NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE PNO-I-98-024 Thia preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of POSSIBLE onfoty or public interest significance. The information is as initially recoived without verification or evaluation, and is basically all that is known by Region I staff in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania on this date.
E cility Licensee Emeroency Classification Private Residence Notification of Unusual Event l Private Residence Alert
' N:w York,New York Cit: Area Emergency General Emergency X Not Applicable Subjcct: RADIOACTIVE SOURCES FOUND IN A NEW YORK CITY APARTMENT On June 23, 1998 at 10:56 a.m., the NRC Operations Center was notified by porconnel from the New York City Bureau of Radiological Health that rcdionctive sources had been found in an apartment in the Bronx. On June 22, 1998 about 11:00 p.m., the New York City Police responded to the report that an individual was brecking into an apartment. The police dotormined that the individual had locked himself out of the apartment and wns attempting to reenter the apartment for his keys. Upon further investigation, the police found radioactive sources in the apartment along with weapons and other materials. The individual, when questioned by tho police, stated that the radioactive materials were his father's tnd may have come from Nuclear Research Corporation, a Region I licensee located in Dover, New Jersey.
NRC Rcgion I staff contacted corporate personnel from Nuclear Research Corporation on June 24, 1998 about 11:00 a.m. for additional information.
Tha Scnior Vice President (VP) confirmed that the individual was the son of tho RSO who had recently passed away. A complete inventory had been mada of the licensee's sealed sources and they were able to account for all of their licensed material. The VP further stated that the RSO form rly owned a business that manufactured Geiger tubes which would have rcquired sealed radioactive sources to ensure their proper operation. The VP elco stated that the police list of items taken from the apartment ir.cluded two radioactive check sources, one of cesium-137 and the other of ctrontium-90. The VP stated that he never saw the sources and dots not know if a serial number or manufacturer's name is imprinted on them.
On June 25, 1997, the New York City Bureau of Radiological Health provided additional information regarding the sources. A total of nine courco were removed from the apartment. These included a number of cxcmpt check sources and empty or decayed sources. Also included were throo non-exempt sources: an 18 microcurie cesium 137 rod source, an 80 l microcurie strontium 90 rod source and 500 microcuries of chlorine 36 in n viol labeled "NEN". City inspectors noted no other markings on these conrecs. A small section of drain pipe contaminated with CS-137 was also identified and removed from the apartment along with the sources. The courcos and drain pipe are currently in the Bureau's Lab.
Region I will continue its review of this incident.
Efforts are being coordinated with appropriate Federal and State f
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l The Region I Public Affairs Office is available to respond to public inquiries.
The States of New York and New Jersey have been notified.
All information is current as of 11:30 a.m. on June 25, 1998.
Contact:
Steven Courtemanche John McGrath (610)337-5075 (610)337-5069
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