Chemical spill at uranium-processing plant contained

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. — A chemical leak at one of the country's pioneer nuclear facilities was contained Tuesday to one building, and no workers were hurt, a spokesman said.

Officials reported a leak of the chemical acetonitrile, a flammable solvent that the Y-12 National Security Complex uses as part of its work in processing uranium for nuclear weapons maintenance, at about 10:24 a.m. ET. Acetonitrile is not radioactive, but it is toxic, plant spokesman Steven Wyatt said.

Fewer than 10 people were in the affected building, and the spill has no potential for creating health problems outside the building, according to tweets from the facility's account.

The Y-12 National Security Complex, about 20 miles west of Knoxville, originally was begun in 1943 as part of the development of the atomic bomb during the Manhattan Project. Its primary mission now is to maintain the U.S. nuclear stockpile, dismantle nuclear weapons from both the United States and other countries, and process highly enriched uranium for the Navy to power its submarines and aircraft carriers, according to its website.

The National Nuclear Security Administration and its Y-12 private contractor, Consolidated Nuclear Security, responded to the incident, federal officials said.

Contributing: Derry London, WLTX-TV, Columbia, S.C.; The Associated Press