Can you say "Dirty Bomb on the way"

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Quigley_Sharps, Dec 5, 2013.


  1. Quigley_Sharps

    Quigley_Sharps The Badministrator Administrator Founding Member

    Thieves have made off with a truck in Mexico carrying a dangerous radioactive material used in medical treatments, the United Nations nuclear watchdog said on Wednesday.

    The International Atomic Energy Agency, the Vienna-based U.N. nuclear body, did not give details on how much of the radioactive source, cobalt-60, was in the truck at the time.

    Cobalt-60 can potentially also be used to make a so-called "dirty bomb", where conventional explosives are used to disperse radiation from a radioactive source. But the IAEA made no mention of this in its statement. (Reuters)

    Cobalt 60 radiation
     
  2. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    They found it. What hasn't been released (that I've seen) is how intact the shielding was when found. Cobalt 60 gives off a highly energetic gamma "ray" that is very hazardous and requires lead (or other dense material) shielding to control exposure. If the shielding is breached, whoever did it will be suffering. Even if they hauled ass when they realized what they had in hand, they will be sick.

    Cobalt is also a very hard, dense metal. To be effective in a "dirty" bomb, it would have to be ground up to increase dispersal. I'd rather not be in the area when the grinder starts up ---
     
    Yard Dart and Brokor like this.
  3. tacmotusn

    tacmotusn RIP 1/13/21

    As Ghrit said as I understand the incident. It appears to be a totally bungled burglary where the perps had no idea what they were stealing. It appears that in trying to assess what they had that shielding was breached. No perps were found yet, but it seems all materials feared stolen by terrorists has instead been recovered. As said there will most likely be some very sick stupid thieves dying or seeking medical help soon. So sad (not) too bad.
     
  4. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Thus spake the MSM. Okay ---
     
  5. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    It seems from the latest News reports that this was a standard run of the mill, Mexican HiJacking, where the idiot Perps had No Idea what they were taking. When they got away, they Opened the Cask, and exposed themselves to a Massive Radiation Dose, and saw that they had taken what looked like a whole bunch of "Little Gray Pellets"... They apparently then "Lost Interested" in their cargo and just Left the Area. There have been No Reports of anyone seeking Help for Massive Radiation Poisoning, YET, but it is speculated these Yahoos are in the running for the Darwin Award for this Year, as the dumbest HiJackers in the World. The estimated dose, received by those opening the Cask, should kill them, in 2-3 days.
     
  6. Silversnake

    Silversnake Silverback

    I doubt they'll be found. Whatever crime organization they likely are affiliated with would be wise to take them to the desert and do them there and bury them. This whole nuclear theft will be such a hot potato (pun intended) I doubt the crime bosses at any level want to be tied to it.
     
  7. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    Not the first time this has happened. Many years ago a lot of Rebar was made in Mexico from some Nuke stuff.

    First trip to the barder and bells went of. One of the first indicators that the border crossings have been bugged for NUKE stuff for over 30 years.

    No telling how many died from the string of events. Mexico Gov never admitted to any thing or any one dead.
     
    Silversnake likes this.
  8. natshare

    natshare Monkey+++

    Radiography sources like this are usually shielded with DU, aka depleted Uranium. It's the U-238 that's left over after Uranium ore is processed to remove the coveted U-235 (the highly fissionable material used in nuke plants and bombs). Since Uranium coming out of the ground is something like 98% U-238, there's a lot of it available, and even though it's radioactive, it emits less radiation than what it's shielding. Added benefit, it's 2.5 times more dense than lead.

    If you want to see something really nasty, Google up some stories of 3rd world countries, and their adventures with mishandled radiography sources. Iridium 192 is another nasty one. Depending on how strong it is, and where you're exposed, it can be deadly within an hour or so.
     
  9. Silversnake

    Silversnake Silverback

    Looks like my prediction was off. News from The Associated Press 6 admitted for likely radiation sickness
     
    tulianr likes this.
  10. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    Darwin Award Candidates....
     
    VisuTrac likes this.
  11. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    Never steal more chain than you can swim with.
     
    JLRhiner and oldawg like this.
  12. stg58

    stg58 Monkey+++ Founding Member

    Oooops...
    ................................................
    Six people exposed to radioactive material stashed inside a stolen truck were being treated at a Mexico hospital on Friday, a day after authorities said they'd recovered all of the potentially deadly substance.
    The five adults and one 16-year-old had apparently come into contact with cobalt-60 about 12 hours after the truck containing it and medical equipment was stolen Monday in Tepojaco, said Hidalgo state health official Jose Antonio Copca, as reported by state-run Notimex.

    A source in the Hidalgo state government confirmed to CNN that six had been hospitalized for presumed contact with cobalt-60, adding that they lived near where the dangerous material was found.

    All six were in stable condition at Pachuca General Hospital, according to Copca.

    While the treatment for possible radiation poisoning is considerable, given how it can damage organs and cells, the state health official insisted that other patients at the hospital are not in danger.

    News of their hospitalizations first surfaced on Twitter.

    It comes after Mexican authorities announced they'd recovered all the radioactive material, though it wasn't clear whether they'd also found those who stole it.

    6 hospitalized in Mexico for possible radiation poisoning - CNN.com
     
  13. VHestin

    VHestin Farm Chick

    Waiting for a 'news' report out there to portray them as victims who were only stealing it to use it for the medical treatment it was supposed to be used for, and the horrible government in Mexico punished them for trying to heal the sick.

    But I won't make you people wait for my report: KARMA STRIKES AGAIN! [touchdown]
     
  14. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    And the Darwin Award goes to....wait for it.....wait for it.....(you have to remove yourself from the gene-pool to win)........
     
  15. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    Hospital is now off limits. I figure someone woke up and decided how bad this is!

    Police block Mexico hospital, 6 may have radiation - Yahoo News

    The atomic energy agency said the cobalt has an activity of 3,000 curries, or Category 1, meaning "it would probably be fatal to be close to this amount of unshielded radioactive material for a period in the range of a few minutes to an hour."
    "What I was told yesterday is that there might be two people with severe radiation syndrome, but I do not have confirmation," said Juan Eibenschutz, director general of Mexico's National Commission of Nuclear Safety and Safeguards.
    Pedro Luis Noble, health minister for Hidalgo state, told Reforma newspaper that the people believed to be exposed pose no risk to other patients and that they are in an isolated area.
     
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