Lucknow: Fluorine Leak At Airport Activates Alarm Over Radioactive Material, NDRF Inspects Shipment

A fluorine leakage in the Lucknow airport cargo area triggered a radioactive alarm on Saturday. The incident did not affect flight operations, with no casualties or injuries reported.

Staffers outside the Lucknow Airport after the alleged leakage of fluorine gas that caused chaos in the area, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2204.

Source : PTI

Lucknow Airport experienced a brief scare on Saturday when a fluorine leak was detected in the cargo area of Terminal 3. The leak triggered a radioactive material alarm, leading authorities to reach the NDRF to investigate the situation.

According to PTI, an official reported that a shipment containing medicines for cancer patients activated an alarm of radioactive material. The airport officials swiftly responded to the alarm and alerted authorities. The incident did not impact the flight operations.

The official statement of Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport (Lucknow Airport) read, "A shipment containing medicines for cancer patients activated an alarm for radioactive material in the Cargo area of the Lucknow Airport." It added, "The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), called in to ascertain the cause of the alarm, has declared the shipment safe.

A shipment containing medicines for cancer patients activated an alarm for radioactive material in the Cargo area of the Lucknow Airport. The National Disaster Response Force, called in to ascertain the cause of the alarm, has declared the shipment safe. (1/2)

— Lucknow Airport (@lkoairport) August 17, 2024

"There was no casualty and there was no threat to life or injury. The Airport operations are running smoothly and have not been impacted," the statement added. 

Along with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the fire department, and police followed to the site. As a precautionary measure, a 1.5-kilometer area around the site was evacuated.

'Alarm Triggered By Wooden Box Containing Electronic Fluorine Liquid': Chief Fire Officer

Chief Fire Officer of Lucknow, Mangesh Kumar, informed TOI that a flight from Lucknow to Guwahati was being prepared for departure. "During a routine scan at Terminal 3, the scanner emitted a warning beep. The alarm was triggered by a wooden box containing electronic fluorine liquid," said Kumar. 

He added that the alarm caused panic at the airport as people scattered in all directions when the box was opened. Authorities quickly evacuated the area.

An airport spokesperson said that the security alarm in the cargo area went off around 10 am. "Security personnel immediately arrived at the scene to handle the situation and informed the SDRF and NDRF teams. All the teams have arrived at the site. In this incident, no employees have lost consciousness, nor has anyone reported any health issues," he said, as quoted by TOI.