Cecil Kelley criticality accident

The tank contained residual plutonium-239 (239Pu) from other experiments and applications, along with various organic solvents and acids in aqueous solution for the purpose of recovery and reuse.

The other technicians found Kelley outdoors in a state of ataxia (uncoordinated muscle movement) and repeating the phrase, "I'm burning up!

"[5] Because the possibility of an excursion in a mixing tank had been considered to be virtually non-existent, the technicians decided that Kelley must have somehow been exposed to either alpha radiation, the acid bath, or both, and one of them took him to a chemical shower while the other switched off the mixer.

Such intense γ radiation could only be produced by significant amounts of fission product; this, plus the otherwise inexplicable flash of light reported by the other two technicians, was enough to confirm that a criticality accident had occurred.

Although the medical staff in the emergency room took steps to ease his pain with pethidine and morphine, previous research on radiation exposure in animals indicated Kelley's death was inevitable.

Numerous blood transfusions had no lasting helpful effect: Only 35 hours after his initial exposure and after a final bout of intense restlessness, agitation, sweating, becoming ashen-skinned, and having an irregular pulse, Kelley died of heart failure.

[9][10] An investigation into the circumstances of the accident never resulted in a public explanation of how the mixing tank became filled with such a high concentration of plutonium; initially, the blame was placed on Kelley himself.

This task revealed to him that the solvent in the tank was not as potent as expected (possibly broken down by extended exposure to radiation), so there may have been a buildup to a higher concentration for that reason.

Doris was not notified while he was still alive that her husband had been irradiated, and only learned of his death from the laboratory authority when representatives visited her at her home shortly afterward.

Despite such assurances, the only compensation Doris received was a lifetime-level position working for the lab itself at near-poverty levels, until she had to retire for health reasons.

[12][13] The case alleged the misconduct of doctors, the hospital, and the administration of Los Alamos in removing organs from the deceased without consent from next-of-kin over a span of many years (1958–1980).