Clinic of Zaragoza radiotherapy accident

In the accident, at least 27 patients were injured, and 11 of them died due to the overexposure, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

[1] All of the injured were cancer patients receiving external beam radiotherapy.

[2] On 7 December 1990, a technician performed maintenance on an electron accelerator at the Clinic of Zaragoza.

Affected patients immediately suffered burns on the skin of the irradiated area, as well as inflammation of the internal organs and bone marrow.

The unit, in service 14 years at the time of the failure, had a breakdown in the electron beam accelerator control system ("deviator").