Worker dies at nuclear facility in East Tennessee

ERWIN, Tenn. - An investigation is underway after a worker died after falling at a nuclear processing facility in East Tennessee.

Media report that the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the accident, which happened Tuesday morning at Erwin Resin Solutions.

Parent company Energy Solutions specializes in recycling, processing and disposal of nuclear material.

Mark Walker, an EnergySolutions spokesman, said the employee fell into a vault where radioactive resins are unloaded before they are taken to be processed for disposal. He was taken to a hospital, where he died from his injuries.

Unicoi County Emergency Management Director Ed Herndon said first responders got a small amount of radioactive material on them, but were quickly decontaminated.

The name of the worker wasn't immediately released.

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