Tunnel Collapse: No Injuries Reported At Hanford Site [UPDATE]

HANFORD, WA -- The U.S. Department of Energy emergency responders are on the scene at its Hanford site, saying there are concerns "about subsidence in the soil covering railroad tunnels near a former chemical processing facility," as a breach has been confirmed. It is unclear whether there are any signs of contamination, but all employees are safe, according to a DOE official.

"We had noticed a 20-foot section of the tunnel had fallen," said Destry Henderson, a spokesperson with the Hanford Emergency Center. "Emergency responders are on the scene to determine what caused the leak."

On Wednesday morning, Henderson went live on a Facebook video to announce the steps taken overnight to control the situation:

Facility workers in the vicinity were evacuated Tuesday as a precaution, DOE officials said. The tunnels contained contaminated materials, and access to the area was denied. As another precaution, other workers in potentially affected areas were told to go indoors, according to DOE officials.

Washington State Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee called the situation "serious."

"This is a serious situation, and ensuring the safety of the workers and the community is the top priority," Inslee said in a statement. "Our understanding is that the site went into immediate lockdown, in which workers were told to seek shelter, and all access to the area has been closed.

"Federal, state and local officials are coordinating closely on the response, and the state Department of Ecology is in close communication with the U.S. Department of Energy Richland Office," Inslee said. "My office is in close communication with these agencies and directly with Department of Energy headquarters in D.C. We will continue to monitor this situation and assist the federal government in its response."

Emergency responders are approaching the area where the soil has subsided. The subsidence of soil was discovered during a routine surveillance of the area by workers, according to DOE. The department's main office in Washington said it was continuing to monitor the situation.

The tunnels at the Plutonium Uranium Extraction Facility, also known as PUREX, are hundreds of feet long, covered by approximately eight feet of soil. The depth of the subsidence of soil appears to be into the tunnel, according to DOE.

The plant is near the Columbia River and anything coming out of that facility has the potential to enter that waterway, although DOE says no action is currently necessary in nearby Bedford and Franklin Counties.

Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell voiced concern for the safety of the first responders.

"My thoughts are with the first responders who are working to assess the situation on the ground, monitor any environmental impacts and design next steps for securing the area," she said in a statement, adding she is closely monitoring reports.

Radioactive materials like train cars used to transport nuclear fuel rods were inside the finishing tunnel.

Patch will continue to update this story.

Photo: Washington Emergency Management Division