In Brazil alone, there are 487 other radioactive cobalt and cesium devices. No one knows where. (1987)
The radiological equipment was found on September 13, 1987. The first symptoms after exposure to radiation from cesium-137 chloride are: Nausea, dizziness, vomiting, and diarrhea. The contamination alarm only occurred on September 29, 1987.
The name Cesium comes from the Latin word caesium, meaning "Sky Blue."
On October 23, Maria Gabriela das Graças Ferreira, wife of Devair, the scrap metal owner, passed away. Two hours later, on the same day, Leide das Neves, 6 years old, their niece, also passed away.
On October 28, Israel Batista dos Santos, 22 years old, and Admilson Alves de Souza, 17 years old, employees at Devair's scrap metal yard, passed away.
Devair was treated and decontaminated at Hospital Marcílio Dias in Rio de Janeiro and died seven years later.
An excellent dramatization of the accident is the film Césio 137 Pesadelo de Goiânia, directed by Roberto Pires, with fantastic actors like Nelson Xavier, Joana Fomm, Paulo Betti, Paulo Gorgulho, Stepan Nercessian, Marcelia Cartaxo, Telma Reston, and others. The film is not available on DVD and can only be found on VHS in a few rental stores that still keep cultural films. It's a shame its download is unavailable due to copyright issues.
The first news of the Goiânia Nuclear Accident reported a possible "Cobalt Capsule," as Cesium was commonly used in radiological equipment.
Cobalt comes from the German word Kobold, which is a demon of mines and caves.
Although the direct victims of the accident complained of indifference, mistreatment, and prejudice, they forget that all the decontamination work was done with great improvisation, relying more on often suicidal solidarity than on technical support.
The victims seem to forget that hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people were contaminated while trying to help them. And we must not confuse dissatisfaction with compensation with a lack of charity.
The direct victims complain of the prejudice and ignorance of the population, and the prejudiced population complains of the ignorance of the direct victims who played with gods with a nuclear capsule.
If many people threw themselves in front of cars to prevent the bodies of Maria Gabriela and Leide das Neves from being buried, many others who watched from afar shouted in support. People like my father say that the attack against the victims came mainly from populist politicians and student groups who took advantage of the moment for personal propaganda, demonstrating a pseudo-intellectualism that was summarized in personal promotion for the new democratic political scene.
The government's request for help from the Vienna Nuclear Agency was delayed by 24 hours because the agency's phone number had not changed for 9 years. In Europe, for a long time, the repercussions of the accident were small. They were still concerned about Chernobyl, which occurred a year earlier, on April 26, 1986, releasing 400 times more contamination than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, which displaced at least 200,000 people. Despite the direct victims of the accident complaining of indifference, mistreatment, and prejudice, they forget that all the decontamination work was done with great improvisation, relying more on often suicidal solidarity than on technical support.
If many people threw themselves in front of cars to prevent the bodies of Maria Gabriela and Leide das Neves from being buried, many others who watched from afar shouted in support. People like my father say that the attack against the victims came mainly from populist politicians and student groups who took advantage of the moment for personal propaganda, demonstrating a pseudo-intellectualism that was summarized in personal promotion for the new democratic political scene.
The government's request for help from the Vienna Nuclear Agency was delayed by 24 hours because the agency's phone number had not changed for 9 years. In Europe, for a long time, the repercussions of the accident were small. They were still concerned about Chernobyl, which occurred a year earlier, on April 26, 1986, releasing 400 times more contamination than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, which displaced at least 200,000 people.
Watch the videos with the accident victims,
The family most affected by the Cesium 137 accident - Goiânia 1987
The source that contained Cesium 137 - Goiânia 1987
Storage at the time of the Accident, Radiation measurement of a child - Abadia de Goiás
Burial of the first two victims
Outbursts
LEIDE DAS NEVES FERREIRA FOUNDATION
GOIAS / GOIANIA / AEROPORTO SECTOR
Address
RUA 16-A, 792
Neighborhood: SETOR AEROPORTO
City: GOIANIA State: GO
ZIP Code: 74310-170
There are 487 other radioactive cobalt and cesium devices in Brazil alone. No one knows where. (1987)
The radiological equipment was found on September 13, 1987. The first symptoms after exposure to radiation from cesium-137 chloride are: nausea, dizziness, vomiting, and diarrhea. The contamination alarm only occurred on September 29, 1987.
The name Cesium comes from the Latin word caesium, meaning "Sky Blue."
On October 23, Maria Gabriela das Graças Ferreira, wife of Devair, the scrap metal owner, passed away. Two hours later, on the same day, Leide das Neves, 6 years old, their niece, also passed away.
On October 28, Israel Batista dos Santos, 22 years old, and Admilson Alves de Souza, 17 years old, employees at Devair's scrap metal yard, passed away.
Devair was treated and decontaminated at Hospital Marcílio Dias in Rio de Janeiro and died seven years later.
An excellent dramatization of the accident is the film Césio 137 Pesadelo de Goiânia, directed by Roberto Pires, with fantastic actors like Nelson Xavier, Joana Fomm, Paulo Betti, Paulo Gorgulho, Stepan Nercessian, Marcelia Cartaxo, Telma Reston, and others. The film is not available on DVD and can only be found on VHS in a few rental stores that still keep cultural films. It's a shame its download is unavailable due to copyright issues.
The first news of the Goiânia Nuclear Accident reported a possible "Cobalt Capsule," as Cesium was commonly used in radiological equipment.
Cobalt comes from the German word Kobold, which is a demon of mines and caves.
Although the direct victims of the accident complained of indifference, mistreatment, and prejudice, they forget that all the decontamination work was done with great improvisation, relying more on often suicidal solidarity than on technical support.
The victims seem to forget that hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people were contaminated while trying to help them. And we must not confuse dissatisfaction with compensation with a lack of charity.
The direct victims complain of the prejudice and ignorance of the population, and the prejudiced population complains of the ignorance of the direct victims who played with gods with a nuclear capsule.
If many people threw themselves in front of cars to prevent the bodies of Maria Gabriela and Leide das Neves from being buried, many others who watched from afar shouted in support. People like my father say that the attack against the victims came mainly from populist politicians and student groups who took advantage of the moment for personal propaganda, demonstrating a pseudo-intellectualism that was summarized in personal promotion for the new democratic political scene.
The government's request for help from the Vienna Nuclear Agency was delayed by 24 hours because the agency's phone number had not changed for 9 years. In Europe, for a long time, the repercussions of the accident were small. They were still concerned about Chernobyl, which occurred a year earlier, on April 26, 1986, releasing 400 times more contamination than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, which displaced at least 200,000 people. Despite the direct victims of the accident complaining of indifference, mistreatment, and prejudice, they forget that all the decontamination work was done with great improvisation, relying more on often suicidal solidarity than on technical support.
If many people threw themselves in front of cars to prevent the bodies of Maria Gabriela and Leide das Neves from being buried, many others who watched from afar shouted in support. People like my father say that the attack against the victims came mainly from populist politicians and student groups who took advantage of the moment for personal propaganda, demonstrating a pseudo-intellectualism that was summarized in personal promotion for the new democratic political scene.
The government's request for help from the Vienna Nuclear Agency was delayed by 24 hours because the agency's phone number had not changed for 9 years. In Europe, for a long time, the repercussions of the accident were small. They were still concerned about Chernobyl, which occurred a year earlier, on April 26, 1986, releasing 400 times more contamination than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, which displaced at least 200,000 people.
Watch the videos with the accident victims,
The family most affected by the Cesium 137 accident - Goiânia 1987
The source that contained Cesium 137 - Goiânia 1987
Storage at the time of the Accident, Radiation measurement of a child - Abadia de Goiás
Burial of the first two victims
Outbursts
LEIDE DAS NEVES FERREIRA FOUNDATION
GOIAS / GOIANIA / AEROPORTO SECTOR
Address
RUA 16-A, 792
Neighborhood: SETOR AEROPORTO
City: GOIANIA State: GO
ZIP Code: 74310-170
