Gas leak detected at Umatilla weapons depot

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

June 25, 3008

HERMISTON, Ore. -- Employees of the Umatilla Chemical Depot detected a small leak of the chemical warfare agent mustard gas in one of the storage igloos but depot officials said the leak would be repaired and decontaminated with no risk to humans.

Depot spokesman Bruce Henrickson said Thursday that such incidents increase with mustard gas in warmer weather.

The depot began incinerating its stocks of mustard gas, a blistering agent, June 11, burning the first of about 2,600 of its one-ton containers.

Large stocks of nerve gases were destroyed earlier. Henrickson said it should take one or two years to destroy the remaining mustard gas.

The depot once held about 12 percent of the nation's stock of chemical weapons. It is destroying them to meet treaty obligations.