A potential second Goiana incident in the making in Mexico

[Xelebes]

Apparently radioactive medical waste has been stolen in Mexico, something similar to what happened in Brazil in 1989. 4 people died in the Goiana incident after medical waste was stolen and played around with in the scrapyards where the contents were opened. Here, it looks like the thiefs only wanted the truck, not knowing the contents of the truck. Hopefully they decide not to play with the contents.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/radioactive-load-on-truck-stolen-in-mexico-causes-concern-1.2450239

 

[veinglory]

It is terribly sad when something made to save lives ends up taking them. I hope the publicity leads to them abandoning it somewhere and telling the authorities.

 

[William Haskins]

MEXICO CITY (AP) -- A missing shipment of radioactive cobalt-60 was found Wednesday near where the stolen truck transporting the material was abandoned in central Mexico state, the country's nuclear safety director said.

The highly radioactive material had been removed from its shipping container, officials said, and one predicted that anyone involved in opening the box would be dead within three days.


http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/storie...ME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-12-04-18-37-59

 

[raburrell]

It can definitely kill you, but I kinda wonder if that 'dead in 3 days' thing is at least partly a ploy to get the perpetrators to seek medical attention.

(A similar (accidental) incident in Thailand killed 3/10 workers who were exposed, and that appears to have happened over weeks, not days.)

 

[Kylabelle]

6 hospitalized in Mexico with possible radiation poisoning.

Although two of the six are in police custody, it has not been made clear if police believe these are the thieves.

 

[blacbird]

It can definitely kill you, but I kinda wonder if that 'dead in 3 days' thing is at least partly a ploy to get the perpetrators to seek medical attention.

(A similar (accidental) incident in Thailand killed 3/10 workers who were exposed, and that appears to have happened over weeks, not days.)

The timing involved in radiation-exposure fatality will vary greatly on the basis of intensity of source and length of exposure.

caw

 

[Xelebes]

The timing involved in radiation-exposure fatality will vary greatly on the basis of intensity of source and length of exposure.

caw

Also, the terminology might refer to the immediacy of the treatment required, not the actual timeline of death. That is, if they don't seek treatment in three days, fatality is probable.