Swept away, for now: Texas needs help finding radiographic camera near area flooding
Texas needs help finding a missing radiographic camera lost during flooding near the Pedernales River, southeast of Fredericksburg.
The industrial device contains radioactive material, which is sealed within multiple layers of protection, and is commonly used in the oil and gas industry, according to a press release from the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Although they say the risk of radiation is extremely low, the camera, owned by Shawcor, should not be tampered with. Authorities urge residents to contact local law enforcement if they find the box, which was originally inside a slide-in camper on a truck that housed a mobile darkroom before being swept away. The camper was located about 10 miles from its original position before the flood but the camera was gone. The camera is sealed inside a locked, half-inch thick steel overpack box with radiation markings. Authorities say the radiation levels outside the camera are not dangerous.
You can contact Gillespie County Emergency Management at 830-998-7252, or the DSHS 24-hour phone line at 512-458-7460.
