A container holding 400 pounds of radioactive material fell from the rear of a truck on Interstate Highway 355 near the Boughton Road toll plaza Monday, forcing lane closures for several hours, police said.
None of the radioactive material, called cobalt-60, spilled from the container, police said. The material is used in industrial X-ray equipment to check for cracks in structures.
The incident occurred about 5:30 a.m. Monday just north of Boughton Road, said State Police Master Sgt. Steve Reilley.
A pickup truck from Conam Inspection Inc. of Itasca was carrying a crate that contained the cobalt. The cobalt was sealed inside a metal container, which was sealed inside a lead container and packed inside the wooden crate, Reilley said.
A hazardous materials alarm was called because of the potential danger of the contents leaking, Reilley added. No citations were issued in the incident.