Nerve Gas Leak Detected After Quake

Low-Level Leak At Weapons Depot HERMISTON, Ore., 7:22 p.m. PST February 28, 2001 -- A low-level reading of nerve gas was reported in one igloo at the U.S. Army Umatilla Chemical Depot near Hermiston after Wednesday's earthquake.

The depot conducted an air sampling after learning of the quake. A statement said that a reading "far below the level that would affect human health" was registered in one igloo housing 750-pound bombs containing the GB Sarin nerve agent.

The statement said that no agent vapor was detected outside the storage area, and that work continued throughout the day on an incinerator being built to destroy the weapons beginning in late 2002.

Ron Lamoreaux, the depot's civilian executive assistant, said that an air-filtering device was put on the igloo as a precaution.

Chemical operations crews plan to enter the igloo Thursday to find the cause of the reading.

The depot stores more than 220,000 bombs, rockets and other weapons containing chemical and nerve agents.

http://www.channel6000.com/c6k/news/stories/news-51475520010228-210232.html

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), March 02, 2001