Dallas Morning News | Radioactive material missing from Texas shipment
Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Latest News: "Radioactive material missing from Texas shipment
03:16 PM CST on Wednesday, November 16, 2005
From Staff Reports
New Mexico environmental officials are investigating the theft of a box containing two vials of radioactive material from a shipment delivered to East Texas.
NMED
The vials were housed in a green ammunition box inside a round shipping container.
The vials contained Antimony-124, a toxic beta- and gamma-emitting material used extensively in the oil and gas recovery industry that can cause significant radiation exposure. They were housed in a World War II-style ammunition box.
The materials were shipped from Albuquerque through Clovis, N.M. and the Texas cities of Abilene, Austin, Dallas, and Tyler with final delivery in Kilgore. Authorities believe the material was stolen in Texas, and New Mexico authorities are now working closely with the shipment's owner, the FBI and the Texas Department of State Health Services to determine what happened to the vials.
"We don't wish to alarm the public, only to ask them to be on the lookout for the ammunition box or vials, and to contact us if they think they may have seen it or have any information on its whereabouts," said NMED Secretary Ron Curry. "The public's knowledge and involvement is often key in these cases."
The licensee and carrier, whose names are not being released for security reasons, have performed extensive searches and inventories of their facilities. The Albuquerque company is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to its recovery.
The green container weighs 80 pounds, contains two 30-milliliter plastic vials labeled "radioactive" and is about 50 percent full of a sand-like substance. If anyone sees an item matching this description, they are asked to not touch or open it. Instead, they are urged to contact the New Mexico Environmental Department at (505) 827-9329.
Due to the small quantity of Antimony-124, the materials are not considered a terrorist threat. However, unlawful possession of radioactive material is a violation of the New Mexico Radiation Protection Act and the New Mexico Radiation Protection Regulations, and is subject to criminal and civil penalties.
"
03:16 PM CST on Wednesday, November 16, 2005
From Staff Reports
New Mexico environmental officials are investigating the theft of a box containing two vials of radioactive material from a shipment delivered to East Texas.
NMED
The vials were housed in a green ammunition box inside a round shipping container.
The vials contained Antimony-124, a toxic beta- and gamma-emitting material used extensively in the oil and gas recovery industry that can cause significant radiation exposure. They were housed in a World War II-style ammunition box.
The materials were shipped from Albuquerque through Clovis, N.M. and the Texas cities of Abilene, Austin, Dallas, and Tyler with final delivery in Kilgore. Authorities believe the material was stolen in Texas, and New Mexico authorities are now working closely with the shipment's owner, the FBI and the Texas Department of State Health Services to determine what happened to the vials.
"We don't wish to alarm the public, only to ask them to be on the lookout for the ammunition box or vials, and to contact us if they think they may have seen it or have any information on its whereabouts," said NMED Secretary Ron Curry. "The public's knowledge and involvement is often key in these cases."
The licensee and carrier, whose names are not being released for security reasons, have performed extensive searches and inventories of their facilities. The Albuquerque company is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to its recovery.
The green container weighs 80 pounds, contains two 30-milliliter plastic vials labeled "radioactive" and is about 50 percent full of a sand-like substance. If anyone sees an item matching this description, they are asked to not touch or open it. Instead, they are urged to contact the New Mexico Environmental Department at (505) 827-9329.
Due to the small quantity of Antimony-124, the materials are not considered a terrorist threat. However, unlawful possession of radioactive material is a violation of the New Mexico Radiation Protection Act and the New Mexico Radiation Protection Regulations, and is subject to criminal and civil penalties.
"
posted by Greta Jane at Wednesday, November 16, 2005
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