It's hard to believe
that the truck was carrying 2 kilograms. According to the Radiological
Health Handbook (1970) US Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Public
Health Service Publication, the specific activity of 1 gram of Iodine-131
equals 1.25 E05 Curies (4.625 E15 Bq). 2 Kilograms would equal 9.25 E21
Bq. Where was it produced and could they shield that much
activity? Also what hospital could use that much. It takes only
about 100 millicuries (3.7 E09 Bq) for a therapeutic
procedure.
The news media should
get their act together.
The last statement is
my own personal opinion, not that of this Agency!!!
Edmond J. Baratta
Radiation Safety
Officer
Tel. No. 781-729-5700, ext
728
FAX: 781-729-3593
-----Original
Message-----
From: Franta,
Jaroslav [mailto:frantaj@AECL.CA]
Sent: Friday, August 02,
2002 8:41
AM
To: Radsafe (E-mail)
Subject: " Truck carrying radioactive
material ignites on Hwy 10 " (near M ontreal)
A
colleague here was stuck in that traffic jam yesterday morning on his way to
Montreal, and another
colleague sent this news story....
Truck carrying radioactive
material ignites on Hwy 10: Transport was headed to Centre de Medecins
Nucleaire du Sherbrooke
The Record (Sherbrooke)
Fri 02 Aug 2002
A tractor-trailer caught
fire on Highway 10 early yesterday morning after the brakes jammed on the
vehicle transporting hazardous material, according to Surete de Quebec
spokesperson Constable Manon Gaignard.
The SQ received a call at
approximately 4:15 a.m. reporting the accident near Carignan, involving 2
kilograms of radioactive iodine being transported to the Centre de Medecins
Nucleaire du Sherbrooke. The substance is used for exams in the department of
nuclear medicine to diagnose any malfunctioning of the thyroid glands, said
CHUS spokesperson Robert Nadon.
The highway was closed for
five hours due to the accident, with traffic backed up nearly 10 kilometres,
to enable officials from the Minister of Environment to inspect the damage and
contact the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. The left lane was closed to
traffic until midday yesterday.
"The trailer burned
completely," said Gaignard. A minor accident occurred on the other side of the
road as well, she added, because of curious onlookers watching the blazing
truck during rush hour.
The immediate report filed
by Transport Canada shows that there was no radioactive spill, the material
was enclosed in a protective capsule and remained untouched by the flames,
explained Michel Cleroux, communications officer for the Canadian Nuclear
Safety Commission.