Kramatorsk apartment building contaminated by embedded radioactive capsule

An apartment building constructed during the Cold War era in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, has been revealed as the site of a lethal radiation hazard. Families living in a specific unit suffered consecutive deaths from leukemia, including two children and their mother. While medical professionals initially suspected genetic predispositions, the pattern of illness persisted even after new families moved into the apartment.

Investigations triggered by persistent parental concerns led to radiation measurements that exceeded safe levels. The source of the radiation was discovered to be a nuclear measurement capsule containing Cesium-137, which had become embedded within the concrete wall near a child's bed. It was determined that the capsule had been lost at a quarry years earlier, subsequently mixing with gravel used in the building's concrete construction.

The incident has highlighted severe risks regarding industrial waste control and the security of radioactive materials in construction processes.