L.A. County officials search for gauge that can cause radiation sickness
Officials with Los Angeles County’s Public Works Department are offering $1,000 to return a gauge that, if damaged, can cause radiation illness.
The device, like an X-ray, uses radiation to measure how dense something is. It was testing the thickness of roadways when it went missing.
The gauge was last seen in Littlerock, California, at 4 p.m. Thursday in the back of a county work truck, officials told KCBS-TV.
For the user’s safety, the device has lead surrounding sealed radioactive material, but if the gauge is damaged the substance could become exposed and affect people.
Officials told KCBS-TV the gauge is yellow, 19 inches long, 9 inches wide and 6 inches high, with a 5-inch handle and a radiation logo.
The Public Works Department is conducting an “aggressive search” in and around Littlerock and has also let relevant local, state and federal authorities know about the missing gauge, according to MyNewsLA.com. Residents are asked to call 911 immediately if they find the gauge so a trained professional can safely recover the device.
