Don Gummo

You know, as we got more into the project and we started having even minor episodes of spills and so on, it kind of changed the environment. They got behind on their schedule of making pellets. That was early in 1974. And we went to round-the-clock operations at that time, and that's when we had more of those kind of incidences, minor spills and so on.

You know, as we got more into the project and we started having even minor episodes of spills and so on, it kind of changed the environment. They got behind on their schedule of making pellets. That was early in 1974. And we went to round-the-clock operations at that time, and that's when we had more of those kind of incidences, minor spills and so on.

But what had happened is while the hot plate was unplugged, it was cooling off, so those stoppers that were pushed into the top got sucked in even tighter. But when I picked one up and I was going to set them off the hot plate and let them cool, and it blew up. It just shattered into a million pieces. And that hot nitric acid, from my point of view, is coming right in my face.

But what had happened is while the hot plate was unplugged, it was cooling off, so those stoppers that were pushed into the top got sucked in even tighter. But when I picked one up and I was going to set them off the hot plate and let them cool, and it blew up. It just shattered into a million pieces. And that hot nitric acid, from my point of view, is coming right in my face.

Next thing I know, she's got a respirator and she's coming in there and she just took over and she got an instrument and made sure that the glove box wasn't leaking. It was all squared away. Then she came over and checked me out to make sure I wasn't contaminated.

Next thing I know, she's got a respirator and she's coming in there and she just took over and she got an instrument and made sure that the glove box wasn't leaking. It was all squared away. Then she came over and checked me out to make sure I wasn't contaminated.

I think seeing me fall and laying there on my ass, she... It was like she crossed a Rubicon. It's like that was the final straw in all the stuff that she'd seen going on that seemed to be a final straw.

I think seeing me fall and laying there on my ass, she... It was like she crossed a Rubicon. It's like that was the final straw in all the stuff that she'd seen going on that seemed to be a final straw.

And then, of course, as it dried, it became a powder again and went airborne. And literally, we had to throw chairs and instruments and all kinds of stuff out because just a few drops of that... coated everything in the room with a film of plutonium.

And then, of course, as it dried, it became a powder again and went airborne. And literally, we had to throw chairs and instruments and all kinds of stuff out because just a few drops of that... coated everything in the room with a film of plutonium.

It was basically Clorox and Tide. And we would make up a batch of Radiac, pour it on the floor, and then slurp it up with a vacuum cleaner. The idea being it would gather up any particles that were on the floor and you could just suck them up that way. In this instance, what it did is it took a little bit of radioactive material and spread it uniformly across the whole room.

It was basically Clorox and Tide. And we would make up a batch of Radiac, pour it on the floor, and then slurp it up with a vacuum cleaner. The idea being it would gather up any particles that were on the floor and you could just suck them up that way. In this instance, what it did is it took a little bit of radioactive material and spread it uniformly across the whole room.

And it was screaming hot, and it was screaming hot for weeks. We had to work in respirators eight hours at a stretch until they could get the mess cleaned up. So... It was a big deal.

And it was screaming hot, and it was screaming hot for weeks. We had to work in respirators eight hours at a stretch until they could get the mess cleaned up. So... It was a big deal.

I always thought of Karen as a force of nature. She would get something in her head and she would be driven by it. So I know when she started learning more about the business that we were in, the industry we were in, and the hazards of it and so on, It had a big effect on her.

I always thought of Karen as a force of nature. She would get something in her head and she would be driven by it. So I know when she started learning more about the business that we were in, the industry we were in, and the hazards of it and so on, It had a big effect on her.

She was concerned that all these farm kids that they had hired to run this thing were at great risk because they didn't understand what it was they were working with.

She was concerned that all these farm kids that they had hired to run this thing were at great risk because they didn't understand what it was they were working with.

It was a full-faced respirator, and it had a canister. And then, of course, we had to wear a hood underneath the mask. It was a miserable way to spend a shift.

It was a full-faced respirator, and it had a canister. And then, of course, we had to wear a hood underneath the mask. It was a miserable way to spend a shift.