Radioactive container is dislodged at LAX
Thirty-one people were examined and released Saturday night after a forklift at Los Angeles International Airport struck and accidently opened a container holding low-level radioactive material, officials said.
The incident occurred about 8:10 p.m. as workers were unloading the cargo from a Lufthansa Air Cargo plane at a Delta storage area near Aviation Boulevard and Imperial Highway.
A forklift operator moving one of three crates containing low amounts of a radioactive substance used at hospitals hit one of the boxes, dislodging its lid, said Sgt. Jeff Merlo of the Los Angeles Police Department .
The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the scene and measured the area’s radioactive level. After no contamination was found, the 31 workers in the area were released, said LAX spokeswoman Nancy Castles.
A hazardous materials crew cleaned the area, Merlo said.
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