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Emergency lifted at US nuclear site after South Carolina laboratory fire

A file photo shows the Savannah River Site near Aiken, South Carolina. (Photo via The State/Tribune News Service)
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A file photo shows the Savannah River Site near Aiken, South Carolina. (Photo via The State/Tribune News Service)
October 29, 2026 05:18 AM GMT+03:00

Officials at the U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina lifted a Site Area Emergency late Wednesday after a fire at a nuclear research laboratory was extinguished and radiological surveys found no detectable contamination.

The emergency, which had been declared following a fire at the Savannah River National Laboratory near Aiken, was officially terminated at 9:45 p.m. local time, according to a site notification.

"Protective actions have been lifted, and site barricades have reopened," officials said, confirming that radiological surveys detected no contamination following the incident.

Emergency response followed laboratory fire

The site initially declared the emergency at 5:39 p.m. Wednesday after the fire broke out at the laboratory, triggering emergency response measures.

Officials had previously reported no indication of consequences beyond the site's boundaries.

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also issued temporary flight restrictions following the incident, initially describing it as a U.S. government "nuclear incident."

The cause of the fire and whether anyone was injured have not been disclosed.

Located near Aiken, South Carolina, the Savannah River Site has supported the U.S. military's strategic deterrence mission for more than 75 years as part of the country's nuclear weapons complex, according to its official website.

October 29, 2026 06:33 AM GMT+03:00
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