Polish Police Investigate Potentially Radioactive Substances Discovered in Residential Building – Reuters

Polish authorities are investigating potentially radioactive materials discovered in approximately 50 containers within a residential building in western Poland, as officials announced on Friday. They clarified that there is no need for evacuating the nearby area.

On Friday morning, police summoned firefighters from the chemical threat unit to examine the substances found in the village of Siedlec, located around 100 kilometers (about 62 miles) from the German border.

According to Martin Halasz, a spokesperson for the firefighters, “Investigations are still ongoing. This intervention is taking place on private property, specifically in a residential building with a garage. We have received information about 50 different sources of materials that may be radioactive.”

Halasz indicated that preliminary assessments suggest the presence of radium, although it has yet to be confirmed whether only radium is involved or if other substances are present as well.

Local police spokesperson Wojciech Adamczyk reported that the materials were found in small glass and plastic bottles and jars within a home. Although these substances exhibited signs of radioactivity, their concentration is not deemed hazardous to human health or life.

Adamczyk added, “We need to ascertain the nature of these materials and whether their possession is legal,” noting that it is premature to conclude whether any arrests will be made.