Anniston incinerator destroys first leaking rocket

The Associated Press
February 25, 2004

Officials at the Army's chemical weapons incinerator in Alabama on Wednesday said workers for the first time destroyed a rocket leaking sarin nerve agent.

The workers were outfitted in special protective gear for the operation, and no problems were reported.

Hundreds of the Cold War-era rockets have sprung leaks while being stored for decades at Anniston Army Depot, and the military expected all along to deal with leaking munitions.

Incinerator officials said sarin was discovered Tuesday inside a container transporting rockets bound for incineration. The 14 weapons were placed in a sealed container and destroyed one by one after being removed from the container inside a sealed area.

The incinerator has destroyed more than 18,675 M55 rockets and 20,845 gallons of sarin since beginning operation last year.