UPTON COUNTY, Texas — Radioactive material was found in a trailer that caught fire on a West Texas highway, according to a release sent out by the Department of Public Safety.
It happened on Friday night at around 7:45 p.m. The DPS radiation/nuclear detection unit, the Upton County Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety and other agencies responded to the tractor along Highway 329 northwest of Rankin.
According to the DPS, the trailer that burned was transporting UN3332, which is a radioactive material containing Cesium-137. It’s a material that can be hazardous to your health.
DPS said the roadway was immediately shut down. They screened the area and checked on first responders for any radiation exposure.
Once the area was deemed safe, the company was allowed to take the radioactive material back to its facility.
The road opened back up at 11 p.m.
