Investigation into Australia's radioactive capsule begins
STORY: An investigation is underway into how exactly a radioactive capsule fell out of a truck and got lost along a 870 mile stretch of the arid Western Australian outback.
Verified by members of Australia's Defence Force and sealed in a lead container, the Caesium-137 capsule, just 6mm in diameter and 8mm long, is being escorted to Perth by a team of 14, including nuclear specialists.
Here's Western Australian chief health officer, Andrew Robertson.
“We will be looking at the manufacturer of the gauge, how it was set up at the mine site, how it was taken down, how it was packed and the transfer and then obviously receipt and whether that was all done in accordance with the radiation safety act and the transport regulations.”
Authorities believe the gauge broke apart on the journey, dislodging the capsule which then fell out of its crate and from the truck - a road train with multiple trailers.
Department of Fire and Emergency Services Incident Controller Darryl Ray said a search team found it when radiation equipment mounted to their car detected gamma rays.
“Everything spiked and their computers went mad and they hit the brakes. Flew out of the vehicle in excitement. We took control of the scene, set up a hazmat (hazardous material) zone, a hot zone, controlled the entry. We verified the source with three different pieces of equipment as well.”
“It wasn’t found by luck, it was found by a lot of specialists. A very dedicated team from many different agencies and organizations both state and from the commonwealth. And believe it or not I was pretty confident since day one to actually find it."
Officials say no one is thought to have been exposed to radiation and the site on the Great Northern Highway was not permanently contaminated.
The capsule was part of a gauge used at one of Rio Tinto's iron ore mines.
The company has also launched its own investigation and offered to reimburse the cost of the search.
It has also said it will cooperate fully with the official investigation.
The maximum penalty for failing to safely handle radioactive substances is around $700, and $35 extra for every day the offense continues - though the state government has flagged new rules with bigger penalties.
Prosecutions would be considered under state radiation safety laws dating to 1975.
相關影片推薦
- 1:18美馬戲團大象逃脫 穿梭車陣民眾驚呼 馬路秒變野生動物園Yahoo奇摩(國際通)32,388 次觀看・1 天前
- 6:11強震來臨這3個縣市最危險 李鴻源曝災防都更因「票房毒藥」難行今天誰來沛268,187 次觀看・1 天前
- 1:53加拿大史上最大黃金盜竊案逮6人 加航「內鬼」偽造空運單 400公斤黃金恐已熔化售出Yahoo奇摩(國際通)37,873 次觀看・1 天前
- 1:13柯建銘質詢一半突喊「我看不到」計時器 透露眼睛病變華視影音8,244 次觀看・1 天前
- 2:02英國女遊台南「喝全糖珍奶」 嚇壞驚呼:天大錯誤華視影音315,260 次觀看・2 天前
- 1:1126歲抗癌網紅因胃癌去世 生命最後5個月沒吃沒喝娛樂星聞60,669 次觀看・3 天前
- 1:15謝和弦不認偷吃陳芳語嗆前妻記錯人!自爆出軌對象是「她」秒遭Keanna打臉娛樂星聞16,898 次觀看・1 天前
- 23:55台積電法說會登場 投資人關心加碼美國新廠風險 但面對拜登和川普搶當美國保護主義隊長 川普幕僚密謀促貶美元 拜登祭301調查要提高中國商品關稅 台積電等於買了保險|鏡轉全球 #鏡鏡新聞1,200 次觀看・1 天前
- 1:17情侶吵架「氣到跳車」 女友摔翻滾5圈慘死|#鏡新聞鏡新聞2,618 次觀看・2 天前
- 1:41土耳其「身障狗狗列車」出動 天天載毛孩外出兜風、感受世界風光Yahoo奇摩(國際通)63,004 次觀看・1 天前