Dear Texas, You Are All Going To Die
Way back in March 2005 the city of Amarillo, Texas was almost wiped off the face of the earth by a nuclear explosion. Workers at the Pantex nuclear weapons plant used the wrong tools and applied too much pressure while dismantling a W-56 warhead that resulted in a "near miss." The warhead is 100 times stronger than the bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima.
Its not the first serious problem that has occurred at the plant. In 2004 another W-56 warhead was being dismantled when a crack was discovered. Technicians used the equivalent of duct tape to hold it together. Pantex was fined $124,000 for that incident.
Details of what occurred in March 2005 were kept secret until last month when the Department of Energy find the parent company, BWX Technologies, $110,000 for safety violations. It was then revealed that the incident could actually have resulted in the detonation of the warhead.
An employee sent an anonymous letter letter to the DOE with some disturbing information. Some managers lack specific experience in handling nuclear weapons. According to technicians, the accident occurred because they are forced to work 72 to 84 hours a week.
One nuclear scientist told Project on Government Oversight that he "would not work on his car engine if he were fatigued from a 72-hour work week, and sure as hell would not work on a nuclear weapon."
The plant itself is apparently in poor condition. According to workers, leaking roofs leave rooms with standing water, buildings are crumbling and safety tape makes the plant look like a crime scene."
So what to do? How about increase production! Plant goals are to increase production by 50%. POGP calls it a recipe for disaster. Anytime the Department of Energy wants to jump in here would be great. Otherwise, goodbye Amarillo.
PAGE:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5
Comments
mrseeds
Austin, TX
April 2006
DEC 19, 2006 12:08 AM
private_grave
Belgium
April 2005
DEC 19, 2006 12:29 AM
Kestrel
Austin, TX
July 2003
DEC 19, 2006 12:37 AM
hearse83
Edmonton, AB
January 2006
DEC 19, 2006 12:48 AM
abracadabra
Seattle, WA
April 2004
DEC 19, 2006 01:21 AM
DrStinkypants
Saint Paul, MN
October 2002
DEC 19, 2006 02:06 AM
maj1234
Windsor, ON
July 2002
DEC 19, 2006 03:06 AM
Kestrel
Austin, TX
July 2003
DEC 19, 2006 03:08 AM
zyryx
Tyler, TX
April 2004
DEC 19, 2006 03:52 AM
MschfMayhemSoap
Phoenix, AZ
April 2006
DEC 19, 2006 04:06 AM
pb
USA
December 2003
DEC 19, 2006 04:42 AM
James_
United Kingdom
March 2003
DEC 19, 2006 05:07 AM
grave_chilling
Bath, ON
September 2006
DEC 19, 2006 05:08 AM
grave_chilling
Bath, ON
September 2006
DEC 19, 2006 05:09 AM
Starfior
Madison, WI
February 2005
DEC 19, 2006 06:09 AM
PAGE:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5