SRS chemical spill sends 3 to hospital
Three people were taken to an Augusta hospital this morning after being injured in a chemical spill at the Savannah River Site.
The names and conditions of the victims have not been released, but Will Callicott, spokesman for Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, said the injuries were not life-threatening.
They were taken to the Joseph M. Still Burn Center at Doctors Hospital where they are being evaluated.
Four other workers were evaluated by on-site medical personnel.
The injured workers were part of a crew that was preparing an F Area facility for removal of process piping about 7:45 a.m., Callicott said. About a pint to a quart of nitric acid spilled, he said.
F Area is a former chemical processing complex where plutonium was made. It was deactivated in 2006. Nitric acid was used in the plutonium production process.
No radioactive material was released.
Details of how the incident occurred were not available.
SRS officials will begin a fact-finding effort to determine what happened, Callicott said.
Check back with www.aikenstandard.com throughout the day for details on this developing story.