ENS 43754
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
05:00 Oct 29, 2007 | |
| Title | Transportation Accident Involving Tc-99M |
| Event Description | A nuclear pharmacy delivery vehicle has been in an accident. The accident took place on the Chickasaw Turnpike, south of Ada, in Pontotoc County. It is at Mile Marker 14, two miles south of highway 1 and the turnpike junction.
The vehicle was a nuclear pharmacy delivery vehicle from Nutech, a nuclear pharmacy, in Wichita Falls, TX. He was returning to Wichita Falls (Nutech headquarters is in Tyler, TX, but they have a pharmacy in Wichita Falls). He was returning from making deliveries, and is believed to have had only empty containers of radioactive materials. The radioisotope involved is believed to be Technicium-99m, used in diagnostic nuclear medicine. The doses are believed to have been administered last Friday, which would mean only a slight residue would be in the containers. If the doses involved were in fact from last Friday, the radioactive component should have decayed away by now, and be non-radioactive. The pharmacy reports that the driver had new doses with him for delivery this morning, but he is believed to have delivered those before the accident. The delivery vehicle is reported to have swerved across the median of the turnpike and struck an oncoming semi head-on. The driver was killed. Emergency responders removed the driver's body from the vehicle, but no other contact with the vehicle has been made. OHP reports that the ammunition cans used for transport of these doses are outside the vehicles, and at least one has ruptured. There is no evidence of radioactive material on the road, and OHP has left the highway open. This should be safe, even if there is full-strength Tc-99m present. OHP and the Ada Fire Department have requested DEQ assistance in verifying the presence or absence of contamination, and a team is on their way there now. If contamination is found, it is likely that DEQ will recommend that the accident area be cordoned off until the material has decayed. It is possible there is no hazard at all remaining here, and in any case, there is no hazard except to people in intimate contact with the wreck debris. Keep in mind that these isotopes are intended to be administered to patients, so there is nothing 'lethal' here. DEQ takes any prospect of significant radiation contamination seriously, of course. I am about to inform the NRC of the incident. The above is based entirely on reports from OHP, Ada Fire Dept., and NUTECH. It is preliminary and may change as we get more information. There is no known media interest yet, but media interest is likely. Both the licensee RSO and Oklahoma DEQ are sending teams to investigate possible radiation at the site. It is suspected that the ammo cans are empty since the accident occurred after making deliveries.
The State provided the following information via email: DEQ inspectors [DELETED] have been to the accident scene and done surveys. The driver's body and all people who handled the driver's body were surveyed and showed no signs of radiation. They found no evidence of loose radiation contamination, but did find some intact pigs that showed some evidence of still containing radioactivity inside. They worked with the pharmacy owner to confirm that all pigs had been recovered. All syringes except two empty ones have been recovered. They were unable to find the two empty syringes despite repeated surveys of the crash area, which is covered in tall grass. The pharmacy is taking custody of all pigs and syringes, and packaging them to return them to the licensee facility. Vehicles and the body of the pharmacy driver have been removed from the accident scene. The inspectors are returning to the office. The above is a preliminary notification based on a telephonic report from the inspectors in the field. The pharmacy license number is Texas license L04274. Notified R4DO (Powers) and FSME EO (Kokajko). |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Nutech Ada, Oklahoma (NRC Region 4) | |
| License number: | L04274 TEXAS |
| Organization: | Ok Deq Rad Management |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+6.65 h0.277 days <br />0.0396 weeks <br />0.00911 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Mike Broderick 11:39 Oct 29, 2007 |
| NRC Officer: | Mark Abramovitz |
| Last Updated: | Oct 30, 2007 |
| 43754 - NRC Website | |
Nutech with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 437542007-10-29T05:00:00029 October 2007 05:00:00
[Table view]Agreement State Transportation Accident Involving Tc-99M 2007-10-29T05:00:00 | |