According to reports, the truck was transporting medical equipment to a hospital in Macon.
MONROE COUNTY, Ga. — UPDATE: As per GDOT’s 511 website, all lanes on Highway 74 have been reopened following an accident involving a truck carrying radioactive medical supplies in Monroe County on Monday.
ORIGINAL STORY: A truck loaded with radioactive medical materials crashed in Monroe County on Monday morning, but officials have assured the public that the area poses no health risks, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident took place on Highway 74 just beyond Debra Drive, as reported by the Georgia Department of Transportation’s 511 website.
The truck was headed to a Macon hospital and was carrying Technetium-99M, a radioactive isotope utilized in medical imaging.
Just before 7 a.m., the crash occurred, leading the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) and the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) to the scene.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Technetium-99M is a “short-lived” isotope of Technetium 99, featuring a half-life of just 6 hours, meaning its radioactive qualities diminish quickly in both the body and environment.
Officials from EPD and GEMA confirmed that the scene is not hazardous, although a radiation clean-up crew was sent to manage the situation.
The crash resulted in the closure of the right lane of Highway 74.
This story is still developing, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
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