Uranium ore truck driver falls ill near Flagstaff; mine operator says it was likely flu
A driver transporting uranium ore from the Pinyon Plain Mine near the Grand Canyon to the White Mesa Mill near Blanding fell ill near Flagstaff.
According to authorities, Coconino County Sheriff's deputies were alerted on May 8 after a driver stopped near U.S. Highway 89 and Townsend Winona Road, just north of Flagstaff, reporting minor flu-like symptoms.
There is no evidence that the uranium ore caused the driver's illness, according to the Coconino County Sheriff's Department. The Flagstaff Fire Department assessed the scene using a radiation detection instrument and confirmed that radiation levels were within a safe range.
The truck was later moved, and the situation was resolved.
"It appears one of our drivers in a loaded truck had a flu bug, food poisoning, or something similar. He stopped for a bathroom break in north Flagstaff. It appears someone saw the parked truck, panicked and called law enforcement, which was of course not necessary," said Curtis Moore, a senior vice president at Energy Fuels Inc., which operates the Pinyon Plain Mina.
"Like all truck drivers, ours are allowed to stop for bathroom breaks, food, refueling, rest, and the like, and even truck drivers get the flu from time to time," Moore said. "He was treated with some fluids and will be fine. Unfortunately, some irresponsible activist voices on social media are making wild claims about the situation, which are not remotely true. It was just a driver stopping for a bathroom break."
Mining concerns: Uranium shipments worry Navajo, Ute tribal members along truck route
The Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency said it received reports regarding the uranium ore truck parked along U.S. 89 with concerns about the ill driver.
"At 9:56 a.m., NNEPA completed routine inspections of three other uranium ore trucks that had arrived at the designated inspection site," Stephen Etsitty, director of NNEPA, said in a press release. "Upon passing inspection, the trucks continued their transport route to the White Mesa Mill near Blanding, Utah."
Etsitty said at 11:40 a.m., the company notified NNEPA of its decision to return the fourth truck — whose driver had reported illness — back to the Pinyon Plain Mine as a precautionary measure.
Under the terms of a uranium transport agreement, Energy Fuels is permitted to transport uranium through the Navajo Nation on weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.
In March, a month after uranium transport resumed, Etsitty informed concerned Navajo community members in Mexican Water that Energy Fuels had been sending two trucks per day along the route during the first six weeks. That number increased to three and was expected to rise to four, with a future maximum of 8 to 12 trucks per day.
'We appreciate the swift response and coordination from Coconino County officials and Energy Fuels Resources, Inc. in addressing this matter,' said Etsitty.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Uranium ore truck driver reports 'flu-like' symptoms near Flagstaff
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Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
