In September 1987, one of the world’s most severe radiological accidents took place in Goiânia, Brazil. What started as an abandoned medical device turned into a catastrophe that led to deaths, severe radiation sickness, and long-term environmental contamination.
The Goiânia radiation accident remains a haunting reminder of the dangers of improperly managed radioactive materials.
The Discovery of a Deadly Device
The story begins with two scavengers, Roberto dos Santos and Wagner Pereira, who stumbled upon an abandoned radiotherapy machine inside an old, derelict private hospital, Instituto Goiano de Radioterapia (IGR).
Unaware of its dangers, they decided to dismantle it, hoping to sell the metal for scrap. Inside the machine was a small but highly radioactive source: a capsule containing cesium-137, a substance used in cancer treatment.
The men pried open the device, exposing the cesium-137, which was in the form of a glowing, blue powder. They had no idea they had just unleashed one of the most dangerous radioactive materials into the environment.
The Spread of Contamination
The scavengers took parts of the device to a junkyard owned by Devair Ferreira, a local scrap dealer.
Fascinated by the eerie blue glow of the cesium, Ferreira thought it was valuable and shared the mysterious powder with friends and family. Children played with it, unknowingly spreading radioactive contamination throughout their homes and neighborhoods.
Within days, people began experiencing severe symptoms: nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and burns that wouldn’t heal. Many assumed it was food poisoning or a strange illness, never suspecting that radiation was silently poisoning them.
Escalating Disaster and Discovery
As more people fell ill, Ferreira’s wife, Gabriela Maria Ferreira, took matters into her own hands. She noticed that those who had been in direct contact with the powder were suffering the most and suspected the glowing substance was to blame.
She placed the remnants in a plastic bag and took it to a local hospital. On September 29, 1987, a physicist at the hospital identified the material as highly radioactive. Authorities were alerted, and an emergency response team was dispatched to Goiânia.
Immediate Consequences
By the time experts arrived, the radiation had already spread extensively.
Entire neighborhoods were contaminated, and hundreds of people had been exposed. In total, 249 individuals were found to have suffered significant radiation exposure, with at least 21 experiencing acute radiation syndrome (ARS).
Four people died due to extreme exposure:
- Gabriela Maria Ferreira, the junkyard owner’s wife, had prolonged contact with the substance while trying to contain it.
- Leide das Neves Ferreira, a six-year-old girl played with the glowing cesium powder and later absorbed it through her skin and ingestion.
- Israel Baptista dos Santos and Admilson Alves de Souza, two scrap yard workers who handled the device extensively.
Containment and Cleanup
The Brazilian government, assisted by international nuclear agencies, launched an intensive containment and cleanup operation. Authorities demolished seven heavily contaminated houses and treated 41 other buildings for decontamination.
Contaminated soil, furniture, and personal belongings were sealed in concrete-lined storage drums, totaling 3,500 cubic meters of radioactive waste. These waste materials remain stored in specialized facilities to this day.
Long-Term Impact
Beyond the immediate deaths, the Goiânia accident had long-term consequences:
- Survivors suffered severe health issues, including chronic illnesses, immune disorders, and radiation-induced cancers.
- Psychological trauma was widespread, as many survivors were stigmatized by society, and treated as if they were contagious.
- Environmental contamination persisted, requiring ongoing monitoring.
Lessons Learned
The Goiânia radiation accident served as a wake-up call regarding the dangers of abandoned radioactive materials. As a result:
- Stricter international protocols were introduced for handling and disposing of radioactive sources.
- Brazil tightened its regulations on medical and industrial radiation devices.
- Public awareness about radiation safety increased significantly.
A Haunting Reminder
The Goiânia accident remains one of the worst non-nuclear power plant radiation disasters in history. It underscores the devastating consequences of mishandling radioactive materials and the critical importance of proper disposal and education.
The haunting blue glow of cesium-137 in Goiânia serves as a deadly lesson.
Radiation, though invisible, is a force that must be treated with the utmost caution. To this day, the incident stands as a grim reminder of what can happen when powerful technology is left forgotten, only to be rediscovered by the wrong hands.