News & Star reports: A NUCLEAR flask carrying plutonium-contaminated material fell off the side of a wagon at Sellafield yesterday.

It is the second time in less than three weeks that British Nuclear Group has had trouble with its nuclear transports – a Sellafield train was derailed at Barrow Docks at the end of March.

The Sellafield Site Emergency Control Centre was set up as a precautionary measure following yesterday’s incident, which happened just after noon.

Sellafield Station Gate had to be closed and site traffic was diverted via the site’s main, north and Calder gates.

British Nuclear Group has stressed that there was no release of radioactivity during yesterday’s incident and no-one was hurt.

The stainless steel waste package container was carrying plutonium-contaminated material which had been recovered from the low level waste repository at Drigg, It was being taken to Sellafield to be stored on the site. more

see also BBC report