AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - FIRE INVOLVING A Co-57 FLOOD SCANNER SOURCE
The Director of the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality Radiation Protection Agency contacted the NRC Operations Center to report a fire involving one of their material licensees. At approximately 2320 CST on 12/12/06, a fire alarm actuated at Oklahoma Cardiovascular, a mobile nuclear medicine business located in Oklahoma City, OK. The Oklahoma City Fire Department and the HAZMAT team responded to the alarm. The fire destroyed a vehicle containing a plastic coated Co-57 source (10 millicuries). The source is used as a "flood source" for sodium iodide scanners to test the function of the scanner by providing an even radiation field for the scanner to produce images. Three vehicles were parked in the garage, each having one Co-57 source inside each vehicle. The destroyed vehicle appears to be the source of the fire, and the fire department has extinguished the fire. The other vehicles don't appear to be significantly damaged. The Oklahoma City Fire Department is reading radiation levels above background. Oklahoma City Police Department is providing security overnight to prevent access to the area. The licensee doesn't know if vandalism or theft was involved. However, there is media interest in this event. The State of Oklahoma representative intends to go to the site in the morning and contact the NRC with any additional information.
* * * UPDATE AT 0953 ON 12/13/2006 FROM MIKE BRODERICK TO MARK ABRAMOVITZ * * *
The local hazmat team is still in control of the site. An Health Physicist has determined that the source is intact. A contact reading outside the sheath reads 0.2 milliRem/hr. All swipes were negative and readings elsewhere in the building indicated only background radiation.
Notified the R4DO (Smith) and NMSS (Morell).
* * * UPDATE AT 1120 ON 12/13/2006 FROM MIKE BRODERICK TO JOE O'HARA * * *
All Co-57 sources located at the facility are intact, and there is not spread of loose surface contamination. The sources did not melt but remained intact inside their shielding. The source located inside the vehicle which burned had decayed to 2 millicuries. The fire was not deliberately set and originated in a transformer located inside the garage.
Notified the R4DO (Smith) and NMSS (Morell). |