The collapse of a storage tunnel containing rail cars full of radioactive waste forced the Hanford Nuclear Reservation to declare emergency procedures. The nuclear site located in Washington state raises concerns about contamination and facility aging problems.

Although no radiation was released during the incident, employees were ordered to take cover and evacuate. Currently, Hanford has more than 9,000 employees.

The accident materialized at a facility, known as PUREX, located in the center of the extensive nuclear reservation. PUREX is approximately half the size of Rhode Island.

The collapse occurred at one of the two rail tunnels under the PUREX site.  In a past era, the rail cars filled with radioactive waste were driven into the tunnels to be buried.

In the 1940s, Hanford was built to produce plutonium and uranium for atomic bombs. During this period, the defense mission was the United States main priority. For decades afterward, the Hanford Nuclear Reservation was a key component of the nation's nuclear weapons production.

Now the nuclear site is the largest reservoir of radioactive defense waste.  The site contains around 56 million gallons of radioactive waste, and a substantial portion of the material is stored underground.

For more information, visit https://www.yahoo.com/news/tunnel-nuclear-waste-collapses-washington-state-164355823.html  

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