On 28 October 2026, a fire broke out at the Savannah River National Laboratory in the United States, located within the Savannah River Site nuclear complex in South Carolina. One employee sustained minor injuries and was hospitalised. Following the incident, a state of emergency was declared at the site and traffic was temporarily restricted. The fire was extinguished, and checks revealed no radioactive contamination. This was reported by Reuters, citing the US Department of Energy.
Key points at a glance:
- On 28 October, a fire broke out at the Savannah River Site nuclear complex in the US.
- One employee sustained minor injuries and was taken to hospital.
- A state of emergency was declared at the site, and flights and traffic were temporarily restricted.
- The fire has been put out, and radiological checks have found no contamination.
- The state of emergency has been lifted; the cause of the fire has not yet been established.
What is known about the fire at a nuclear facility in the US
A fire broke out at the National Laboratory Savannah River, which forms part of a large federal complex near the town of Eiken in South Carolina.
A spokesperson for the US Department of Energy confirmed that one employee was injured as a result of the incident. He sustained minor injuries but was taken to hospital. No further details regarding the employee’s condition have been released.
Following the discovery of the fire, the complex’s management declared a ‘Site Area Emergency’. This is the second most serious of the three levels of emergency response defined for the site.
The US Federal Aviation Administration has temporarily restricted flights near the complex. Restrictions have also been imposed on rail, river and road transport.
Staff who were not involved in extinguishing the fire or shutting down the equipment were instructed to remain in shelters on the site.
Is there a risk of radioactive contamination?
According to the Savannah River Site administration, the fire was brought under control on the evening of 28 October. Radiological checks carried out revealed no contamination.
At 21:45 local time, the state of emergency was officially lifted. The protective restrictions were lifted and access to the complex was reopened. On Thursday, 29 October, staff were due to return to their normal working hours.
Nuclear safety expert Edwin Lyman In a comment to the Associated Press, he explained that the absence of contamination outside the complex is a positive sign. At the same time, he emphasised that fires at facilities handling radioactive materials require special safety measures due to the potential risk of hazardous substances being released.
What is known about the Savannah River Site nuclear complex?
Savannah River Site — one of the key facilities in the US nuclear infrastructure. It was established in the early 1950s during the Cold War.
For decades, plutonium and tritium were produced at the site, which were used in the US nuclear weapons programme.
Following the end of the Cold War, the complex’s activities changed. Today, work here focuses on the decontamination of contaminated sites, the management of nuclear waste, the management of nuclear materials and scientific research.
The Savannah River National Laboratory also carries out research radioactive substances and works with materials derived from spent nuclear fuel.
As of 29 October 2026, the fire had been completely extinguished, the state of emergency had been lifted, and no radiation contamination had been detected. The cause of the fire remains unknown, and there are no reports of any further casualties.
