Wood River Junction, RI Premier Marble, Granite, & Quartz Stone & Service

Granite Brothers: Your Top Choice for Countertop Installation in Wood River Junction, RI

Granite Brothers specializes in Stone Sales, Fabrication, Installation, and Repair services, serving Wood River Junction, RI and the entire New England region. Committed to exceptional customer service, we focus on stone, tile, and complementary products. With over a century of experience spanning four generations, we are the premier stone retailer, fabricator, and installer in Wood River Junction, RI and Metro-West, MA. Our dedicated team, design showroom, fabrication shop, and outlet store ensure that no project is too large or small. We guide you through the entire process, providing information and recommendations to meet your renovation or construction needs. Feel free to ask questions and enjoy the journey!

Our Comprehensive Services in Wood River Junction, RI:

Granite Countertops

For new granite countertops in Wood River Junction, RI, Granite Brothers is your go-to choice. From selection to installation, our staff assists you in finding the perfect stone. With an 8000 sqft state-of-the-art facility, we handle projects of any size, collaborating with top suppliers to offer the best natural stones.

Quartz Countertops

Despite our name, we also offer quartz countertops from brands like Silestone, Caesar Stone, and Okite. Explore our displays and consult with our staff to choose the ideal product for your needs.

Fireplace Surrounds and Hearth Stones

Revitalize your fireplace with a custom surround and hearth stone crafted from a variety of natural stone slabs or remnants. We can also assist in selecting and installing new tiles to enhance the fireplace’s appeal.

Vanity Tops

Whether for a small powder room or a luxurious master bath, Granite Brothers has a wide range of vanities. Explore our selection of remnants for smaller vanities or consult with us to choose the perfect slab for your dream bath.

Natural Stone Tub Surrounds / Master Bathrooms

Elevate your master bath with a stunning natural stone tub surround. We guide you through the design process, ensuring every detail, from tub surround to shower walls, meets your expectations.

Vanities

Discover a diverse range of vanities, spanning modern, traditional, contemporary, and classical styles. Visit our showroom or consult with our staff to explore all available options.

Porcelain Tile

Explore our showrooms for a vast selection of porcelain tiles from renowned manufacturers like Marrazzi, Interceramic, American Olean, and Ragno. Our staff helps you choose the right color and size for your project.

Mosaics

Visit our showrooms for an extensive collection of mosaics, including glass tile mosaics by Bisazza, stone and glass combinations, and customizable options. Our trained staff assists in finding the perfect mosaic for your space.

Stone Tile

Granite Brothers boasts the largest and most complete selection of stone tiles, including marble, granite, limestone, and travertine. Visit us for natural stone tile, pencil moldings, chair rails, and closeout items at our Milford, MA location.

Tile Installation

Ensure the beauty of your tiles lasts by entrusting our professionals with the installation. From underlayment to unique designs, our experienced team handles every aspect of tile installation.

Countertop and Tile Repair

In addition to installations, we offer repair services for kitchen countertops, tile floors, and shower walls. Contact us to discuss your situation and receive an estimate for the necessary repairs.

Remnants

Save on projects by choosing from our ever-changing inventory of remnants, suitable for vanities, hearth stones, fireplace surrounds, and more.

Custom Furniture Tops

Elevate your furniture with custom stone tops for buffets, antique dressers, or any piece in your home. Our custom tops make every piece a standout in any room.

Wood River Junction is a small village in the town of Richmond, Rhode Island, Washington County, Rhode Island, in the United States. It is home to the Chariho school district’s main campus and is otherwise largely turf farms, which were potato farms before the nuclear accident in 1964.

History

Overview

The village was the site of Wood River Junction station, originally known as Richmond Switch. The Wood River Branch Railroad was chartered in 1872 and completed in 1874. The name was changed in April 1874. The six-mile branch line was built to provide service from the Hope Valley to the main line of the New York, Providence and Boston Railroad and was only six miles long. The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad took over operation of the Branch in 1892 and eventually abandoned it on August 8, 1947. The main line continues in operation today as Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor.

Criticality accident

On 24 July 1964, a fatal criticality accident occurred at the United Nuclear Corporation’s Wood River Junction nuclear facility. This facility was designed to recover highly enriched uranium from scrap material left over from fuel element production. Technician Robert Peabody, intending to add a bottle of trichloroethane to remove organics from a tank containing radioactive uranium-235 in a sodium carbonate solution, mistakenly added a bottle of uranium solution instead. This produced a criticality excursion accompanied by a flash of light. About 10 liters (2.2 imp gal; 2.6 U.S. gal) out of 40 to 50 liters (8.8 to 11.0 imp gal; 11 to 13 U.S. gal) of the tank’s contents were splashed out of the tank.

This criticality exposed the 37-year-old Peabody to a fatal dose of radiation. Estimates for the received dose vary, as accurate counting was limited. An initial estimation based on blood cells was placed at 2,070 rad from fast neutrons, and 7,930 rad from gamma rays for a total dose of 8,200 rad. Further analysis and estimation revealed that at minimum the operator received a full body dose of 7,000 rad with a maximum dose of 19,000 rad. Later estimates based on the source of radiation yielded higher results; a minimum dose estimate of 15,000 rad (150 sieverts), as well as a maximum dose of 26,000 rad. Overall, the accepted dose estimate in the report was in excess of 100 sieverts, with a range of approximately 70-260 sieverts. This means that Peabody received the highest external full body dose in history. Estimates to individual parts of his body were also made. Tests performed on his wedding ring yielded an estimate of 700 rem (7 sieverts) to that individual finger. His head received an estimated dose of 14,000 rem (140 sieverts) and his pelvis received the largest dose; calculated at 46,000 rem (460 sieverts). He died 49 hours later.

Ninety minutes later, a second excursion happened when a plant manager returned to the building and turned off the agitator, exposing himself and another administrator to doses of up to 100 rad (1 sievert) without apparent ill effect.

Members of the local Hope Valley Ambulance Squad (HVAS) responded to render aid, initially transporting the patient to Westerly Hospital; the hospital was not equipped for such a patient, the ambulance was turned away and the ambulance transported the patient to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence.

Although commonly referred to as taking place in Wood River Junction, the incident actually occurred just across the river in Charlestown.