Sarin gas leak at Umatilla

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Here's another little "glitch" - a sarin gas leak at the Umatilla Depot in Oregon. Not getting much coverage at all - in fact, you're lucky to see this - http://www.channel6000.com/news/stories/news-20000102-024643.html Apparently "they" say this is nothing to worry about - a drop can be fatal, but hey! trace amounts are okie-dokie...doesn't that make us all feel relieved, eh? And - no, of course it doesn't have anything to do with y2k - probably just one of those wacky squirrels dug it's way into the bunker and tracked the stuff outside somehow...

-- RAT (eyesopen@watcher.com), January 03, 2000

Answers

The first thing I thought of was "this is a joke, right?"

chit...

Poison Gas Leaks In Umatilla Under Control

Trace Amounts Not A Danger To Umatilla Residents

UMATILLA, Ore., Posted 6:46 p.m. PST January 1, 2000 -- Small amounts of deadly sarin gas have been found at the Umatilla chemical depot in eastern Oregon, but there's no danger to people or the environment, a depot spokesman tells KOIN 6 News.

The trace amounts of the nerve gas were found Saturday during a routine check of a storage igloo that houses chemical weapons.

The structure contains weapons that are so-called "repeat" leakers, or ones that have leaked before. Monday, a crew will go into the structure to determine which weapon is leaking. It will then be isolated and placed in a larger, more secure container, reports KOIN. Thousands of chemical weapons are stored at the U.S. Army munitions facility, and sarin is just one of the many agents and gases. Sarin is so toxic that one drop can be fatal.

Destruction of the weapons is due to begin next year, when construction on a large incinerator is complete.

---------------

Mike

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-- Mike Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), January 03, 2000.


Nerve gas leaks all the time. That's whay they have routine checks. Video footage [file footage I suppose] on Channel 6 last night showed the inspectors fully suited in protective gear, and thousands upon thousands of canisters of sarin gas in storage at Umatilla: "The task of the inspectors will be to find which canister is leaking" Sniff test no doubt. My guess is that it will prove that the DETECTOR is giving a false positive. Not that a coincidence of leak & Y2K is impossible.

-- SH (squirrel@huntr.com), January 03, 2000.

Actually it was rust. These missiles have been sitting there for quite some time and leak on a regular basis. If you had read the story you would have seen: "The structure contains weapons that are so-called "repeat" leakers, or ones that have leaked before. " Definitely something to be concerned about, at least if you live in Umatilla, but not date related. Of course they could be lying I guess.

-- Me (me@myhouse.home), January 03, 2000.

Wow. Cool. Glad I'M not living there. Hmm....my gas mask came in today...A bit late for Y2K, but- wonder what the cost of living there is? Might get homes and land real cheap. Just have to dispose of the corpses....wonder if Sarin would affect my dog?

-- Satanta (EventHoriz@n.com), January 03, 2000.

Mike--
May I suggest you wait before drawing any purposeful conclusions? This may be a hoax just like you said the Calvert Reactor in Baltimore might be...oh wait...it HAS to be true if it was on the news, right? My mistake.

-- Jess (alisaunde@aol.com), January 03, 2000.


Oooops. Glad it was only a small squirrel...a buffalo could have carried out a lot of Sarin. 8<)

-- Robert A Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), January 03, 2000.

Jess... I'm not drawing any purposeful conclusion other than...

chit.

The very fact that Sarin gas or any toxic substance like it leaks into the air, near friends of mine, would typically generate a response from me of a similar nature.

I didn't ever say this was related in ANY way to Y2k....sheesh.

Does that make the situation less bothersome?

Mike

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-- Mike Taylor (mtdesign3@aolx.com), January 03, 2000.


by the way Jess... I didn't say the situation with the nuke was a hoax... I think it's true... maybe you can re read what I wrote.

Thanks,

Mike

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-- Mike Taylor (mtdesign3@aolx.com), January 03, 2000.


On December 30th, as reported by the Oregonian, the nerve gas alarms went off in Hermeston (the next town down the road) warning of a deadly leak at Umatilla. Alarms went off and loud recorded messages in english and spainish instruct people to go in doors and close up all the doors and windows. The signs on the freeway message motorists to turnaround at the next offramp due to a nerve gas leak.

The official word was given that a county worker hit the wrong button. The intent was to turn on the freeway signs to warn of icey conditions. I guess the icey road button is next to the nerve gas button.

The mayor was quoted as saying (sic), "It scared the hell out of us."

I considered posting this on the morning of 12/31/99 but the board was quite busy.

-- lurker (lurk@watch.com), January 03, 2000.


lurker...that story was posted as I recall. this is related to the same event? seems likely to me.

Interesting, if my memory is correct, at that time the article saidthat there was no leak.

Mike

-- Mike Taylor (mtdesign3@aolx.com), January 03, 2000.



"The official word was given that a county worker hit the wrong button."

Going manual, are we?

-- Ron Schwarz (rs@clubvb.com.delete.this), January 03, 2000.


I guess the icey road button is next to the nerve gas button.

AAAHAHAHAHA!!!! Just had a flashback to the music video "Land of Confusion" by Phil Collins...where the Reagan puppet reaches out to hit the 'Nurse' button...but hit the "Nuke" button that was right next to it!!!

-- Satanta (EventHoriz@n.com), January 03, 2000.


Ah! Chemtrail juice, yummy.

-- Hokie (Hokie_@hotmail.com), January 03, 2000.

I did a report on nerve gas a LONG TIME AGO, seems a SMALL drop of Sarin gets absorbed and kills something like 90+%. Like horseshoes close does count. The good news is they have stuff even deadlier. There now aren't you glad it wasn't an X agent?

Makes one think about the movie/book "The Stand."

-- Squid (ItsDark@down.here), January 03, 2000.


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