CBRN event in Armenia on Fri 28th August 2009

On 28 August 2009 on the customs points (Sadakhlo and Bagratashen) on the border of Armenia and Georgia 137Cs contamination of a vehicle was detected during radiation control. The vehicle belonged to a resident of Noratus village of Gegharkunik region, Armenia. 
On 17 September the radiation monitoring of the driver’s vehicle, his workplace, home, service station (owned by the same person) and adjacent to it territory was implemented with the purpose to detect a radioactive material resulted in contamination. As a result of monitoring it has been identified that the probable source of contamination is the service station where high level of contamination 137Cs was registered.
The radiation dose values exceeding the natural background have been registered in the territory adjacent to the storage of the service station where the maximum dose value of gamma radiation - 810 microSv/h was registered in a separate 1m2 area on the ground; the maximum dose rate of gamma radiation in separate sections of the station reached 45 microSv/h. 
At present, the contaminated territory is fenced; searches of a possible radiation source resulting in contamination are in process. At the same time measures are undertaken to eliminate contamination and to decontaminate. Medical examination of exposed employees of the service station are made. Based on the results of radiation measurements and the time period of possible exposure of employees, the estimated maximum external exposure reaches 24 mSv.
The event rating by INES is level 2.