Depot plugs leaking munition

This story was published Fri, Oct 5, 2001

By the Herald staff

UMATILLA - Workers repacked a 155 mm shell Wednesday that had been leaking the nerve agent VX since August at the Umatilla Chemical Depot.

Depot spokesman Jim Hackett said the "leaker" was found during a routine daily inspection of the depot's igloos that house munitions that have previously leaked nerve agent.

Hackett said crews first discovered the leaking shell Aug. 18. A filter, which collects the nerve agent to keep it from seeping outside the storage bunker, was placed on the igloo immediately. But because there was no medical doctor on staff during the time period, crews were unable to enter the igloo immediately to find the leaking munition.

"As a safety precaution, there has to be a doctor on (the depot) before the crews can enter the igloos," Hackett said.

Crews were allowed on the Umatilla Chemical Depot last week after a leaky chemical weapon was discovered, although some work was halted temporarily.

Hackett said crews didn't have the opportunity to get into the bunker before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks when security was heightened at the depot, where 7.4 million pounds of deadly nerve and mustard agents are stored.

"We weren't letting any crews into the depot during that time," Hackett said.

Because the munition already was stored in the bunker where overpacked munitions containing VX are kept, it did not have to be moved. The nerve agent VX attacks the central nervous system and can be fatal with skin contact or when inhaled.

The shell first leaked in 1983, and at that time was replugged with Teflon and placed in large sealed ammunition container, Hackett said. Now, not only was the shell leaking but so was the ammunition container.

Hackett said crews placed the shell into a new manufactured steel cylinder 54 inches long and 12 inches in diameter.

Officials said the leaking shell at no time posed a threat to the public or the environment.

 

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