Rig carrying uranium strikes flatbed trailer
[ http://www.saultstar.com/2018/01/08/rig ... ed-trailer ]
By Brian Kelly, Sault Star Monday, January 8, 2018 3:54:31 EST PM
A transport carrying drums of uranium concentrate became lodged against a second rig in Montreal River on Highway 17 on Sunday morning.
A northbound flatbed trailer, hauling steel, lost traction on the Montreal River Hill at about 9:50 a.m. A southbound tractor-trailer, carrying uranium concentrate or yellow cake, tried to go around the jack-knifed flatbed, said Ministry of Environment spokesperson Gary Wheeler in an email.
“However the trucks became lodged against each other, causing a small puncture (30 centimetres) to the cargo box of the trailer carrying the uranium concentrate,” Wheeler told The Sault Star.
MOE's Spills Action Centre was contacted shortly after noon.
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission advised MOE yellow cake is a very low risk material with low radioactivity. The uranium concentrate was headed to Cameco's uranium refinery in Blind River, approximately 260 kilometres southeast of Montreal River.
Cameco dispatched its hazardous materials team to the site in Rix Township about 100 kilometres south of Wawa. The team found all drums were intact.
“There was no radioactive hazard,” said Wheeler. “The team repaired the trailer.”
MOE staff also went to the scene and confirmed there was no spill of uranium concentrate or fuel due to the collision.
No one was hurt.
Highway 17 was completely closed until about 8:45 p.m.
The collision was weather related, said Const. Levis Brousseau of Ontario Provincial Police.