Tornado Hits University’s Nuclear Reactor in Kansas

This could have gone really, really badly. A tornado hit a nuclear research reactor on the Kansas State University campus last week. Though the tornado flattened other buildings on the campus, including the Wind Erosion Laboratory, the reactor was untouched. Luckily, someone had the forethought to shut the thing down properly earlier in the day.

From Reuters:

The tornado caused extensive damage to the building, but no damage to the reactor, which had been shut down properly earlier in the day, the university said.

The reactor is located in Manhattan in Riley County, about 120 miles west of Kansas City, Missouri.

Because of the event, the university declared an alert, which is the second lowest of the NRC’s four emergency classifications.

There are more than 30 operating research and test reactors in the United States, according to the NRC’s website.

Link [Reuters]
Photo credit: Flickr user Chimothy27

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