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Alert over 'radioactive' packages Alert over 'radioactive' packages
(about 2 hours later)
A language school building in Edinburgh was cordoned off for four hours after three suspected radioactive packages were found in a cupboard.A language school building in Edinburgh was cordoned off for four hours after three suspected radioactive packages were found in a cupboard.
Emergency services were called to the Regent Language Training School in Chester Street at about 1900 GMT.Emergency services were called to the Regent Language Training School in Chester Street at about 1900 GMT.
It was later confirmed that the packages contained educational training items, which had small amounts of radioactive material in them. It was later confirmed the packages contained educational training items from 1994, which had small amounts of radioactive material in them.
No contamination was found outside the containers.No contamination was found outside the containers.
The fire service and police launched a procedure called National Arrangements for Incidents Involving Radiation.The fire service and police launched a procedure called National Arrangements for Incidents Involving Radiation.
Eight fire engines and 28 fire service personnel attended the incident.Eight fire engines and 28 fire service personnel attended the incident.
Group manager Jim Fraser of Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service said: "We do know they had been there for a considerable time. They're science lab sources used for small experiments that we all did when we were at school Steven SansburyLothian and Borders fire service
"Somebody discovered them as they were cleaning out a cupboard. Group manager Steven Sansbury, of Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service said two boxes containing "radioactive sources" were found which were believed to be school science lab materials dating back to 1994.
"The discovery was made earlier this evening." He said they were discovered by a radiation expert from Torness power station who would liaise with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) about the safe disposal of the material.
Radiation experts were called to the scene with monitoring equipment to test the packages, Mr Fraser said. "He thinks that they're ex-school science lab sources used for small experiments that we all did when we were at school, so there's no contamination so now we're just all going home," said Mr Sansbury.
He said police rolled out a national plan of action for radiation incidents.
"We assume the worst case scenario and work back from that," said the fireman.
"It's a big example of inter-agency cooperation and everything went fine.
"Had it been a bigger incident - thankfully it wasn't - everything was here ready to go."