An emergency was declared at a major US nuclear site after a fire broke out at a laboratory, leaving one employee with minor injuries.

The incident happened at the Savannah River National Laboratory in South Carolina on Wednesday evening, prompting officials to declare a Site Area Emergency at 5.39pm local time.

The emergency was lifted later that night, at 9.45pm, after firefighters extinguished the blaze and checks found no detectable radioactive contamination.

One employee was taken to hospital with minor injuries, a spokesperson for the US Department of Energy (DOE) confirmed.

‘No radiological contamination has been reported,’ the spokesperson said.

Officials lifted all protective measures and reopened barricades after the situation was brought under control.

A notification from the Savannah River Site (SRS) said there were ‘currently no operational emergencies or scheduled delays’ at the facility.

Workers due to start their shifts were told to report as usual, while other employees were instructed to return to work as scheduled on Thursday, October 29.

Staff who had been told to shelter in place were also given the all-clear to resume normal duties.

Highway 125 remained open, and traffic at the site’s entrances returned to normal after temporary barricades were put in place as a precaution.

Restrictions had earlier been announced on rail, river and air traffic near the site while the response was under way.

The Savannah River Site is a major part of the US nuclear weapons complex and has supported the country’s strategic deterrence programme for more than 75 years.

It was built in the 1950s, when five reactors were constructed to produce materials used in nuclear weapons, mainly tritium and plutonium-239. Supporting facilities included two chemical separation plants.

The Department of Energy has described the site as a key part of the country’s national security infrastructure, saying the safety of workers, the public and the environment is a priority.

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