jan 1, 1961 - SL-1 nuclear meltdown

Description:

The reactor was intended to provide electrical power and heat for small, remote military facilities, such as radar sites near the Arctic Circle, and those in the DEW Line. United States Army experimental nuclear reactor located at the National Reactor Testing Station (NRTS) at Idaho Falls, Idaho, United States. January 3, 1961, SL-1 underwent a steam explosion and meltdown, killing its three operators. The event is the only reactor accident in U.S. history to have resulted in immediate fatalities.

Added to timeline:

Date: