PRACHINBURI, Jan 15 (TNA) – Authorities are searching for a cylinder containing dangerous radioactive material that went missing from a power plant in Prachinburi.
Provincial governor Ronnarong Nakornchinda, officials from the Office of Atoms for Peace (OAP) and the National Power Supply Plc., the owner of the plant jointly held a press briefing on Tuesday.
Staff at the power plant in 304 Industrial Park found that the 25-kg steel tube, five inches in diametre and eight inches long and containing highly radioactive Caesium-137 was missing on March 10 and notified the police.
According to an investigation, it may have fallen from a wall mount and could be left about 200metres from the installation site.
The search failed to find it. Rediation tests showed that it had been taken out of the premises.
The radioactive material is in a closed and protected condition but if it is opened, it can cause a rash, burns and serious health risks to someone who are directly expose to it.
Officials are searching for the missing cylinder, five inches in diameter and at waste-buying businesses in Si Maha Phot district, using the radioaction detection device.
Anyone who gives a tip-off that leads to the discovery and the return of the radioactive cylinder will receive 50,000 baht. (TNA)
