David Lesher wrote:

A federal study shows hundreds of hot spots at the 2,850-acre
facility, overlooking the west San Fernando Valley, half a
century after a partial nuclear meltdown there.

By Louis Sahagun, Los Angeles Times

1:31 AM PST, December 17, 2012

Half a century after America's first partial nuclear meltdown,
hundreds of radioactive hot spots remain at a former research
facility overlooking the west San Fernando Valley, according to
a recently released federal study.

55 years, to be more precise. The meltdown at the SRE (Sodium Reactor
Experiment occurred in July 1959. That reactor was repaired and
continued operation until 1964. Therewas also the nation's largest
Hot Lab and a fuel reprocessing facility there that operated into the
1880s.
The real monster wasn't the reactors, but the Sodium Burn Pit, which
was just what it says on the tin.

As I recall, this site was featured in an episode of I Spy, all
those decades ago....

It was also the test site for the liquid fueled rocket motors
for the Navaho, Atlas, and Saturn V.

--
Pete Stickney
From the foothills of the Florida Alps