On March 28 , 1979 , traffic reporter Dave Edwards noticed something unusual at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Power plant . The plant appeared to be non-operational because there was no steam coming from the cooling towers . There was also a large contingent of emergency vehicles in and around the plant . Upon learning this , the WKBO news director , Mike Pintek , called the plant , he was told " I ca n't talk right now , we 've got a problem . " This prompted Pintek to make several follow up calls to the plant 's owner , Metropolitan Edison , developing the breaking news story . WKBO was the first media outlet to report the story at 8:25 am , almost four and a half hours after the partial meltdown began . By 9 am , the AP picked up the story and it was broadcast nationally
partial meltdown
Three Mile Island accident
WKBO