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The following report was received via facs … The following report was received via facsimile:</br>Notifications: On June 28, 2013 the licensee informed the PA Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) Central Office of an explosion that occurred the previous night. The event is reportable within 24 hours per 10 CFR40.60(b)(4). (Note: a voice message was left for a DEP staff person who was off from work on the 28th, thus, the delay in notification to NRC.)</br>Event Description: The licensee received a call from the Pymatuning Township Fire department's emergency response team at approximately 11:15 (EDT) on June 27, 2013 reporting an explosion inside the operating area of the Whittaker Corp. remediation project site. This is a decommissioning / clean-up site where rare earth metals had been recovered, and the resultant low-level radioactive waste is being removed for license termination. The initial theory is (perhaps) a chemical and exothermic reaction resulted in a contained fire with material being ejected from the waste pile and outside the remediation area boundary. Since the site was shut down and unoccupied at the time of the event, no injuries were reported. The responding fire department did not enter the area; and there are conflicting reports on the use water or other fire-fighting agents. Due to the very low radioactivity concentrations of uranium / thorium series within the waste pile materials - release of licensed material offsite is unlikely. All work at the site has been suspended pending an investigation into the event. Radioactivity surveys and air samples were being made and collected on the 28th to confirm no off site release took place. The material that was ejected from the waste pile during the explosion was surveyed, with no significant activity identified. A sample of this material was sent to an off-site lab to determine a chemical and radiological content. Lastly, the licensee has established a 24 hour fire watch until a cause can be identified. More details will be provided when available.</br>Cause of the Event: Currently unknown</br>Actions: The licensee has suspended all work, and has restricted access to the area. The PA DEP NW and SW Regional Offices are performing reactive ES&H (Environment, Safety, and Health) and Radiation Protection Program inspections on July 1st and 2nd respectively.</br>Media Attention: None at this time.</br>PA Event Report ID No: PA130016 at this time.
PA Event Report ID No: PA130016
15:15:00, 27 June 2013 +
49,166 +
18:07:00, 1 July 2013 +
15:15:00, 27 June 2013 +
The following report was received via facs … The following report was received via facsimile:</br>Notifications: On June 28, 2013 the licensee informed the PA Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) Central Office of an explosion that occurred the previous night. The event is reportable within 24 hours per 10 CFR40.60(b)(4). (Note: a voice message was left for a DEP staff person who was off from work on the 28th, thus, the delay in notification to NRC.)</br>Event Description: The licensee received a call from the Pymatuning Township Fire department's emergency response team at approximately 11:15 (EDT) on June 27, 2013 reporting an explosion inside the operating area of the Whittaker Corp. remediation project site. This is a decommissioning / clean-up site where rare earth metals had been recovered, and the resultant low-level radioactive waste is being removed for license termination. The initial theory is (perhaps) a chemical and exothermic reaction resulted in a contained fire with material being ejected from the waste pile and outside the remediation area boundary. Since the site was shut down and unoccupied at the time of the event, no injuries were reported. The responding fire department did not enter the area; and there are conflicting reports on the use water or other fire-fighting agents. Due to the very low radioactivity concentrations of uranium / thorium series within the waste pile materials - release of licensed material offsite is unlikely. All work at the site has been suspended pending an investigation into the event. Radioactivity surveys and air samples were being made and collected on the 28th to confirm no off site release took place. The material that was ejected from the waste pile during the explosion was surveyed, with no significant activity identified. A sample of this material was sent to an off-site lab to determine a chemical and radiological content. Lastly, the licensee has established a 24 hour fire watch until a cause can be identified. More details will be provided when available.</br>Cause of the Event: Currently unknown</br>Actions: The licensee has suspended all work, and has restricted access to the area. The PA DEP NW and SW Regional Offices are performing reactive ES&H (Environment, Safety, and Health) and Radiation Protection Program inspections on July 1st and 2nd respectively.</br>Media Attention: None at this time.</br>PA Event Report ID No: PA130016 at this time.
PA Event Report ID No: PA130016
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00:00:00, 1 July 2013 +
PA-1051S +
Modification date"Modification date" is a predefined property that corresponds to the date of the last modification of a subject and is provided by <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.semantic-mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Special_properties">Semantic MediaWiki</a>.
23:12:15, 24 November 2018 +
18:07:00, 1 July 2013 +
4.12 d (98.87 hours, 0.589 weeks, 0.135 months) +
15:15:00, 27 June 2013 +
URL"URL" is a <a href="/Special:Types/URL" title="Special:Types/URL">type</a> and predefined property provided by <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.semantic-mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Special_properties">Semantic MediaWiki</a> to represent URI/URL values.