A fire at the Savannah River National Laboratory in South Carolina led to a temporary radiological release alert on Wednesday evening, resulting in the suspension of local rail, river, and air traffic. The incident occurred shortly before 5:40 p.m. within a single room at the Department of Energy facility.
According to the Savannah River Site (SRS), the blaze caused an "unfiltered ground-level radiological release." Emergency crews managed to extinguish the fire in less than two hours. Officials confirmed that there have been no reports of contamination extending beyond the building where the fire originated.
As a precautionary measure, employees working in the facility's Area A were instructed to shelter in place behind barricades for approximately 30 minutes. Personnel not directly involved in the emergency response were also directed to take shelter. The Department of Energy further restricted access to the site, closing entrances to incoming traffic while halting transit in the surrounding air, river, and rail corridors.
The emergency status was officially terminated at 9:45 p.m., four hours after the initial shutdown. Following the conclusion of the incident, all protective measures were lifted and site access was restored.
The Savannah River Site is a 310-square-mile Department of Energy complex spanning multiple South Carolina counties. The facility serves as a hub for national security and nuclear science, with the laboratory specifically focused on environmental cleanup research and related technologies.
