Worker Suffers Serious Burns from White Phosphorus Handling Accident at Army Arsenal White Hall, AR

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This was an accident at a place where the army has lots of fun stuff like nerve gas and mustard gas. The site-story link- below is a great source of information!

http://www.humanitarian.net/challenges.html

Worker Suffers Serious Burns from White Phosphorus Handling Accident at Army Arsenal White Hall, AR, United States 1/2/2000 Information Added: Sunday, January 2, 2000 - 8:54 PM

----- A worker moving dangerous white phosphorous from a storage tank at the Pine Bluff Arsenal suffered serious burns on about a third of his body Sunday (1/2/2000), the arsenal said.

Rickey D. Myers, a 16-year arsenal employee, suffered second- and isolated third-degree burns and was in serious condition Sunday evening at the burn unit at Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock, the arsenal said.

``With burns this severe, his condition could possibly change dramatically within the next 24 hours,'' said Dr. Kurt Davis, assigned to the arsenal.

The arsenal holds 12 percent of the nation's chemical weapon stockpile.

Myers and two other workers were transfering the phosphorous from a storage tank to another vessel in preparation for a routine piece of work Monday, an arsenal statement said. Myers was the only worker hurt.

An initial investigation showed possible mechanical failure. White phosphorous is used to produce white smoke that the military uses to obscure operations. It ignites when in contact with oxygen.

``My prayers and sympathy are with Mr. Myers and his family,'' arsenal Cmdr. Steven T. Chapman said. ``The man is one of our most experienced employees in working with white phosphorous.

``We will do everything possible to find out exactly what caused the accident so it doesn't occur again,'' Chapman said.

Other items stored at the arsenal include nerve gases GB and VX and two varieties of mustard gas, H and HD. Nerve gas blocks nerve signals to muscles, and mustard gas damages body tissue.

Sources ( * indicates the original source) Source Details Media - Associated Press * 01-02-00 1853EST

-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), January 06, 2000


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