[ RadSafe ] End of the event in Centraco (Gard) : press release #2

[Colette Tremblay]

Paris, September 12 2011 
Information notice 

The event that occurred this morning in Centraco, nuclear installation located near Marcoule site (Gard) is considered as closed. 
The explosion of a furnace dedicated for the melting of the metallic radioactive waste triggered a fire that ended at 13h00 (11.00 UTC) 
The building where the explosion occurred was not damaged. Injured people do not suffer from any radiological contamination and all measures conducted by the licensee outside of the building have shown no trace of radioactive contamination. 
One worker died and 4 others have sustained injuries, one of whom suffered deep burns. 
This event does not involve any radiological issue and no protective actions was required for the population. 
ASN, the French Nuclear Safety Authority, has suspended its emergency organization; ASN is still in permanent contact with the prefecture of Gard and the licensee Socodei. ASN will conduct dedicated inspections in liaison with Labour inspection in order to analyse the reasons of the accident. 
Centraco is owned by SOCODEI. The installation is dedicated to the treatment and conditioning



Colette Tremblay, spécialiste en radioprotection                                                                                                   
Service de sécurité et de prévention
2325, rue de la Vie-Étudiante, local 1533
Pavillon Ernest-Lemieux - Université Laval
Québec (Québec)  G1V 0B1
418 656-2131, poste 2893