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Midland County Sheriff's Office Searching for Missing Radioactive Rod
Midland County Sheriff's Office Searching for Missing Radioactive Rod 9/13/12
September 13, 2012
UPDATE: Here's a picture of the rod deputies are searching.
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Midland County Sheriff’s Office
Press Release
September 12, 2012
Today at about 8:45 a.m. The Midland County Sheriff’s Office was notified reference possible lost or stolen equipment identified as a radioactive rod used in the oilfield.
Yesterday morning a truck left Midland at about 5:00 a.m. enroute to a well site in southern Reeves County. The rod (normally under lock and key on the truck) was placed in the well bore and retrieved after the job was completed. The truck then left the site northbound on Texas 18 to I-20, east to FM 1788 in Midland County then south to a location about 20 miles inside Upton County. Upon arrival to the site in Upton County the crew discovered the radioactive rod was missing. A search has been conducted using Geiger counters and numerous personnel to no avail. The silver rod is 7 inches long and 1 inch across and has “Danger-Radioactive” stamped in red on the side and has a brass bolt screwed in one end.
The rod contains Americium Beryllium 241 and is not dangerous when touched but can be hazardous if held in bare hands or carried in a pocket for a continuous length of time ( about 2 days).
Continuous contact can cause radiation poisoning.
If located please do not touch.
Call the Midland County Sheriff’s Office at 432-688-4600 or the nearest law enforcement agency.