1987 - Goiânia, Brazil - a cesium-137 cancer-therapy machine was sold as scrap. 244 people became contaminated with radiation, four died.
1999 - Tokaimura, Japan - a uranium-processing nuclear fuel plant released high levels of radioactive gas into the atmosphere after an uncontrolled chain reaction. Two workers died, and one was seriously injured.
2004 - Mihama, Japan - steam (non-radioactive) leaked from a nuclear power station. Four workers died and seven other were severely burned.
2007 - Kashiwazaki, Japan - a 6.8 magnitude earthquake near Niigata caused a major fire, radiation leaks and burst pipes at a major nuclear power plant. The plant had been built right on top of an active seismic fault.
a uranium-processing nuclear fuel
plant