Savannah River Site closes roads and shelters staff after lab fire

The Savannah River Site in South Carolina operates as a massive Department of Energy nuclear complex that manages waste and conducts research. On Tuesday evening, an emergency was declared after a fire broke out inside one of its laboratories.

Officials reported that the blaze began at the Savannah River National Laboratory at approximately 5:39 p.m. Fire crews responded to the scene and worked for roughly two hours before extinguishing the flames. The facility is located near Aiken, a county home to many workers in the nuclear industry.

Savannah River Site officials stated that no contamination had been reported outside the affected facility. As a precautionary measure, barricades at site entrances were closed to incoming vehicles. Restrictions were also placed on traffic moving via rail, river, and air in the vicinity of the site.

Employees in areas impacted by the incident who were not engaged in emergency response or shutdown operations were directed to shelter in place. State and local government agencies were notified and are coordinating with SRS officials, who are directing the overall response efforts.

Local residents have been advised to monitor local radio and television stations for updates and instructions from state officials. The fire remains under review as crews assess the damage to the laboratory equipment.