Radioactive leak detected at IGI Airport in Delhi

TNN

New Delhi, 29 May 2015: A radioactive leak was detected at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi on Friday.

 

Around 8:30 this morning, four packets were found leaking in a Turkish airline at the import cargo warehouse of IGI Airport.

 

GMR, Delhi Police, fire and the NDRF anti-sabotage team are inside to sanitize the restricted area. According to reports, more than 250 loaders were at work at the time of the incident. The workers have complained of burning sensation and eye irritation. Doctors inside the terminal are attending to those with any symptoms. The area has been cordoned off by DM New Delhi, Sanjay Kumar, who is the incident commander.

 

The radioactive leak has been located to a consignment from Turkey, which contained radioactive compounds for therapeutic use.

 

"We are monitoring the whole situation. Radioactive substance came from Istanbul for Fortis Hospital whose authorities have been called," NDRF DG said. The hospital had ordered the substance in connection with its cancer treatment, according to reports.

 

Home minister Rajnath Singh said, "The atomic energy team has also reached. We have just got information that the radioactive leak at the cargo complex in IGI Airport has been plugged."

 

CISF and police are probing if the leak was due to negligence.

 

Officials from the atomic mineral division of the department of atomic energy and personnel from AERB are at the spot.

 

A DIAL (Delhi International Airport Limited) spokesperson said, "A medical consignment of material suspected to be of radioactive nature was reported at the cargo terminal of Delhi Airport this morning. A team from Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are at the site and making arrangements for the removal of the material. This area is far away from any of the passenger terminals and there is absolutely no risk of exposure to any passengers. The said area has been cordoned off and as per the preliminary assessment given by AMD the material has been termed as that of low radio activity- Sodium Iodide Liquid Class 7 meant for medicinal use."