A technical incident with the release of smoke occurred this Wednesday, December 11, 2024 around 11:30 a.m. in the Extractive Metallurgy Innovation Center (CIME) at the Orano industrial site in Bessines-sur-Gartempe in Haute-Vienne, a specialist in nuclear materials. Firefighters were deployed on site and a crisis unit, in conjunction with the Haute-Vienne prefecture, was immediately set up. After mentioning the start of a fire, and after taking stock of the event with the firefighters, Orano management indicated that it was a release of smoke without flame. According to the industry group, “the situation was definitely under control“, at 4:20 p.m.
Projected radioactive material
The incident began at 1 a.m. this Wednesday, December 11. There was an oil leak on a device which led to its shutdown. “An incident I would say normal, usual as it sometimes happens“, specifies the prefect of Haute-Vienne, François Pesneau. “Simply this leak leaked into a can of thorium nitrate.he adds. This morning, the teams on site closed this drum and there was probably a chemical reaction inside which generated excess pressure in the drum and the lid blew off with a projection of a small amount of radioactive material. interior of the building.“It is therefore this projection of radioactive material which caused the immediate triggering of a large device: 40 firefighters deployed on the site, the gendarmerie sent to secure the premises and control of personnel. “The question was whether there was really a risk for the populationexplains the prefect. A priori, the risk is completely confined within the building and it is a minor risk. We will do analyzes tomorrow. The population can be completely reassured.”insists François Pesneau.
Site employees sent home
As a precautionary measure, site employees were invited to return home, after having all been assembled. Orano specifies that additional checks are underway to assess the situation. The Institute of Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) will send a team to the site to carry out radioactivity control measures. IRSN agents, coming from Fontenay-aux-Roses (Hauts-de-Seine) according to the prefect, will arrive in the evening and will carry out the measurements on Thursday morning. “I took the precaution of doing additional analyzes to ensure that there was no problem and I am extremely confident in the results that will come.“, specifies François Pesneau. According to Orano, the first checks carried out after the fire show radioactivity values located below maximum standards.
