Truck Hunts for Vial of Cesium-137

A specially equipped truck made its way slowly south on Interstate 5 Wednesday searching for a missing metal vial of radioactive cesium-137 as several false sightings were reported.

Officials renewed their warning that anyone finding the vial should not touch it and should call police. The potentially deadly cesium-137 is held in a 3 1/2-by- 3/4-inch rectangular titanium case that is marked with a warning that the case is radioactive.

“We want to emphasize the health hazard is from picking it up,” said Donald Bunn of the state Department of Health Services.

Searchers from state agencies and Flo-Log Inc., the South Gate firm that owns the material and uses it in oil exploration, failed to find the vial at an oil field east of Willows where the cesium was last used.

Using Geiger counters, the search team proceeded to drive south down I-5 at 20 m.p.h. The search was called off at nightfall south of Stockton and will resume this morning. The searchers are expected to reach Flo-Log’s office in South Gate on Friday.