Emergency declared at South Carolina nuclear site after fire erupts at lab

An emergency has been declared at a massive Department of Energy in South Carolina after a fire broke out at a laboratory, officials said.

The fire ignited at the Savannah River National Laboratory at the Savannah River Site (SRS) near Aiken, , around 5:39 p.m., officials said.

The incident triggered emergency response activities, but crews extinguished the fire roughly two hours after it was reported, according to SRS. 

"No contamination has been reported outside the affected facility," officials said.

As a precaution, barricades at site entrances have been closed to incoming traffic, officials said. 

Traffic via rail, river, and air near the SRS vicinity was also placed under restriction.  

Employees in areas affected by the incident who are not involved in emergency response or shutdown operations have been directed to shelter in place as a precaution.

SRS officials are directing response efforts and relevant state and local government agencies have been notified. 

Local residents are advised to monitor local radio and television stations for updates and any instructions from state officials.

The SRS is a major installation in the nations weapons complex that has supported the for more than 75 years, according to the SRS website.

The installation manages nuclear materials and radioactive waste, with cleanup operations aimed at protecting the surrounding environment, according to the Department of Energy.

"While serving as one of the nations most critical pieces in the weapons complex, the site is also one of the safest major industrial sites in the world. Ensuring national security, protecting workers, the public, and the environment, are our highest goals," the SRS website states. 

The facility was constructed in the 1950s, when five reactors were built to produce materials used in nuclear weapons, primarily tritium and plutonium-239. Several support facilities were also built, including two chemical separation plants.