Breaking: Radioactive Leak Reported In West Palm Beach

[Minstrel Boy]

Radioactive Leak Reported In West Palm Beach

4:31 pm EST January 26, 2005

Local 10's sister station in West Palm Beach is reporting that a malfunction in a radioactive testing device has closed down part of the downtown area in that city.

Sky10 is on the way to the area to check out reports from WPBF that the device leaked a higher than acceptable level of radioactivity near the courthouse.

The fire department reportedly can't get into the area to check out reports of the leak because of the possibility of radioactive contamination. Hazardous material crews are on their way to the area.

http://www.local10.com/news/4132756/detail.html

[phusion]

1. Crap...

What the hell is a "radioactive testing device" ?

And what the hell is it doing in WP Beach?

[Minstrel Boy]

2. And why would a radioctive testing device

become itself a hazard?

[phusion]

5. Randi Rhodes

Doesn't Randi Rhodes broadcast from there?

[egoprofit]

12. the guitar player for ozzy? didn't he die??? j/k

[phusion]

15. :)

yea, I know, not on-topic. I feel like Larry King.

[americanstranger]

24. Nah, she's in NYC.

She used to broadcast from WPB, before she joined AAR and was just on the WPB Clear channel station.

-as

[NuttyFluffers]

29. did, now from NYC

though she should have relatives and a home there.

edit: well i'm just redundant, aren't i? ;)

she reported from west palm beach for a week during the election, though.

[havocmom]

11. There are medical tests which require radioactive isotopes

I assume there are medical labs in the area?

[DrWeird]

9. Surveyors?

Probably way, way overblown.

[soup]

16. I'm not making much sense of this

:shrug: 'Steeling?' I don't write 'em, just providing a link:

Man arrested for steeling radioactive testing device

November 3, 2004 -

Law enforcement authorities in Chatham, Georgia, have arrested a 34-year-old man on charges that he stole a device containing radioactive material from a pickup truck parked outside a Norfolk, Virginia Wal-Mart last month.

The device was taken from a truck owned by Newport News-based Foundation Engineering Science Inc. Norfolk police obtained warrants charging Richard Danes, formerly of Virginia Beach, with grand larceny, larceny with intent to sell and conspiracy to commit a felony.

The instrument, a portable moisture-density gauge, could pose a radiation threat if handled improperly, says The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Foundation Engineering Science, specializes in geotechnical engineering, environmental management, construction inspection and design and material testing services. The company told the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that one of its employees lost a portable moisture-density gauge that had been checked out for use at a Norfolk work site.
http://www.radjournal.com/articles/radiation/stolen%20device.htm

which led me to:

The Troxler Model 3430 gives you the fast, accurate and consistent results you need to fulfill the testing requirements on today's construction projects. The Model 3430 provides the basic features required for determining the density of asphalt, soil, aggregate or concrete and the moisture of soil or aggregate. It and the other gauges in the 3400 series have replaced conventional density test methods and have become the industry standard.

The Model 3430 offers you a choice of backscatter or direct transmission for density measurement and backscatter for moisture measurement. The Model 3430 adheres to ASTM Standard Test Methods D-2922, D-3017, D-2950, C-1040 and AASHTO T-310. The gauge directly displays wet density, moisture, dry density, percent moisture, percent compaction, void ratio and percent voids in English or metric units.
http://www.troxlerlabs.com/PRODUCTS/3430.shtml

Don't know if this is what caused the problem, but it does answer the 'what the heck could it be'? question. Do hope everyone's ok, whatever it is.

[Jacobin]

3. A leak from a testing device?

This sounds like some overblown bullshit.

[uppityperson]

4. Does this mean homeland security did a dirty bomb?

oops.

[TroglodyteScholar]

6. WTF (on _so many_ levels) eom

[Ruby Romaine]

7. wanna take bets it's another false alarm- terra terra terra!!!

freedom freedom freedom

[fob]

8. This so soon after Fermi II in Michigan goes haywire?

Per Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure - Things are AFOOT at the Circle K!

[uppityperson]

10. Yahoo update of where is closed.

The area from Quadrille Boulevard east to Olive Avenue and from Gardinia Street south to Evernia Street is closed and has been evacuated.


The leak involves low-grade radiation. Normal radiation levels are from 12 to 25 rems (the unit used to measure radioactivity). A Geiger counter at the location of the suspected leak showed a reading of 95 rems, considered low-grade, but still dangerous.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/wmur/20050126/lo_wplg/2555707&e=1&ncid=

[phusion]

18. rems

Found this on google:

rem is a unit scientist use to measure radiation exposure. Over a persons lifetime, they usually receive 7-14 rems of natural sources of radiation, such as cosmic rays and ultraviolet rays from the sun. On a single exposure of 5-75 rems, there are few to no noticeable symptoms. For someone to receive 75-200 rems of exposure, vomiting, fatigue, and loss of appetite would occur. Recovery would take a few weeks. If someone were to be exposed to more than 300 rems, severe changes in blood cells and hemorrhage takes place. If someone were to receive more than 600 rems, symptoms would be hairloss, loss in your bodies ability to fight infection and usually results in death. (World Book vol. 16, 79)

[bling bling]

13. Someone at my work just mentioned this

A customer in that area said helicopters are flying around it. She was checking CNN, Drudge -- nothing yet on their sites. I came straight here and found the article right away. Thanks! You're awesome.

[DoYouEverWonder]

14. I just hope Rush was near by

good luck to everyone else.

[dqueue]

17. Another article, one hour ago in google news...

Radiological Emergency in Downtown West Palm Beach

By WPTV staff.
January 26, 2005

West Palm Beach Fire/Rescue is investigating a leak of radiological material at 321 South Dixie Highway. The fire department recieved an initital report of smoke in the area with a high radiantion level at the Corodino Environmental Management Group. The fire department has evacuated a four block area between Quadrille, Olive, Dixie, and Fern. The evacuation has proceeded calmly and the fire department has not issued any type of advisory that would affected breathing or other health concerns. There have been no reported injuries.

[ally_sc]

20. nothing on MSm

maybe coming up..she is going through the local news stories right now, lol...re: msm.

[Synnical]

19. Palm Beach Post

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/news/feeds/0126leak.html

WEST PALM BEACH - South Dixie Highway was closed between Gardenia and Evernia streets and many downtown buidlings were evacuated late Wednesday afternoon when radiation leaked from a building housing an engineering firm.

The level of radiation coming from the Corradino Group, 321 S. Dixie Highway, was considered dangerous, a fire department spokesman told WPEC NEWS 12.

The leak was traced to equipment used to measure the density of the ground, NEWS 12 reported. It occured around 4 p.m.

There was also a fire in the area but it was not clear if the fire caused the leak or the leak caused the fire.

[DoYouEverWonder]

21. Okay why don't we just step this up a notch

A fire! What fire?

[Synnical]

23. More from same

However, police and fire officials later told NEWS 12 that there may not have been a leak after all.

About 3:20, the fire department got an initial reading of high radiation levels but by 5:30 p.m. levels had returned to normal.

[Synnical]

25. And, The End

About 3:20, the fire department got an initial reading of high radiation levels but by 5:30 p.m. levels had returned to normal.

Mayor Lois Frankel appeared on the scene and spoke to the media shortly after 5:30. "Nobody has been hurt and everyone is safe to go back to their businesses," she said.

[Ian David]

27. When you have a radiation leak, who do you call?

The fire department are first-responders.

The same first responders whose budgets have been cut by Bush.

Besides, I remember an old disaster manual that suggested "washing away" radiation with a whole lot of water.

Does anyone still believe that works?

I think I saw lately that the "wash away the radiation" theory has been debunked.

[4MoreYearsOfHell]

30. Too bad the "first-responders"

are now in Iraq...Two weekends a month my ass...

[ebayfool]

32. Someone probably just left the casing cracked open a bit, happens ...

all the time, people aren't aware of it because companies that use radiological testing devices do everything in their power to keep it on the down low. Newspaper coverage is very 'frowned upon'! These test units are used for a wide variety of things - ie pipelines, welding inspection, metal erosion, etc. They are on the roads, in business parks, just @ anywhere that a business chooses to locate &/or conduct business. I can pretty much guarantee whoever screwed up & didn't properly secure the device & store it got fired (as well as a whopping dose to his/her film badge).

[Mr_Spock]

22. Mmmmmm, radiation

says Homer

[Ian David]

26. These things have happened before

Prior to Chernobyl, the worst nuclear accident ever involved a medical testing device that used radioactive material.

The radioactive material from the machine was scattered through a few city blocks, and some of it was incorporated into the steel re-enforcing rods that ended up used in a construction project.

This was AFTER Three Mile Island and BEFORE Chernobyl.

I'm going from memory from a long time ago. I think I read about it in Omni Magazine, and I think it was in Mexico City.

[medeak]

28. big hellabaloo and mayor gets on tv

friends in Palm Beach just emailed me. No big deal they say...but mayor likes tv coverage

[yardwork]

31. The update at the link says things returned to normal by 5:30 pm