HANFORD SITE, Wash. – The U.S. Department of Energy activated the Hanford Emergency Operations Center Friday evening following the detection of an ammonia leak within the Hanford Site.
The alert was activated at 5:25 p.m. immediately following the leak’s detection at a holding tank near the Waste Treatment Plant.
The DOE notes that an alert is the lowest level of emergency classification. No impacts from the emergency are expected to go past the facility boundary.
Emergency personnel from Hanford are responding to the leak. Workers within the 200 East area of the site are under a shelter-in-place order with directions to close all doors, windows and ventilation.
All other site personnel have been told to stay away from the 200 East area and remain in their work locations.
The 200 East area is located about seven miles from the Columbia River and 22 miles north of Richland.
