PNO-IV-97-031, on 970519,F-33 Aircraft Engine Containing Nickel Thorium Caught Fire at Scrap Yard in Pensacola,Fl. from Serial Number It Was Determined,Engine Contained Nickel Thorium.No Personnel Contaminated or Injured

PNO-IV-97-031:on 970519,F-33 Aircraft Engine Containing Nickel Thorium Caught Fire at Scrap Yard in Pensacola,Fl. from Serial Number It Was Determined,Engine Contained Nickel Thorium.No Personnel Contaminated or Injured

ML20141G470
Person / Time
Site:	03028641
Issue date:	05/21/1997
From:	Cain C, Mclean M NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV)
To:
References
PNO-IV-97-031, PNO-IV-97-31, NUDOCS 9705220369
Download: ML20141G470 (1)

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May 21,1997 4

PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE PNO-IV-97-031 This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of POSSIBLE safety or public interest significance. The information is as initially {

3 received without verification or evaluation, and is basically all that is  !

known by Region IV staff in Arlington, Texas on this date.

• i Facility Licensee Emeraency Classification Usaf Radioisotope Committee Notification of Unusual Event Usaf Radioisotope Committee Alert Brooks Air Force Base Site Area Emergency San Antonio, Texas 78235 General Emergency Dockets: 03028641 License No: 42-23539-01 AF X Not Applicable

Subject:

AIRCRAFT ENGINE CONTAINING NICKEL THORIUM CAUGHT FIRE AT A SCRAP YARD On Monday May 19,1997, the licensee reported to the Region IV office, Arlington, Texas, that an F-33 aircraf t engine containing nickel thorium caught fire at a scrap yard in Pensacola, Florida. On March 27,1997, the owner of the scrap yard, Auto Shred Recycling, called the Department of the Air Force (USAF) to come and pick up an aircraft engine he had at his site.

The USAF dispatched personnel from Hurlburt AFB, Florida, to the site to get the model and serial numbers of the engine. From the serial number it was determined that the engine contained nickel thorium. The F-33 aircraft engine was used by both the USAF and the Navy.

The USAF stated that the scrap yard owner had purchased the aircraft engine over two years ago. It has not been determined who sold the engine to the scrap yard dealer.

On May 15,1997, USAF personnel from Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio, were dispatched to the scrap yard. On May 16,1997, scrap yard personnel attempted to separate the nickel thorium portion of the engine from the rest of the engine using a blow torch. During the attempted separation, the engine caught fire. To extinguish the nre, a load a dirt was dumped on the engine and left over the weekend to burn out. On May 19,1997, the USAF personnel returned to the scrap yard to retrieve the engine and found that the soil covering the engine was contaminated. Three 55-gallon drums of soil and aircraft engine were retrieved and will be disposed of by thu USAF.

The licensee did not know the activity of the thorium at the time of the report. No personnel were contaminated or injured. This material is regulated under the provisions of 10 CFR 40.13.

Region IV has informed NMSS, OSP, and Region ll. ,

Region IV received notification of this occurrence by telephone from Air Force Radioisotope Committee at 4:05 p.m. (CDT) on May 19,1997.

The information herein has been discussed with the licensee and is current as of 9:00 a.m (CDT), May 21,1937.

Contact:

M. Linda McLean Charles L. Cain (817)860-8116 (817)860-8186 220001 9705220a69 970s21 PDR I&E PNO-IV-97-031 PDR 3 e