Two Hospitalized After Chemical Exposure At APG Lab Power Outage
Blamed For Small Chemical Release
April 11, 2006
Associated Press
ABERDEEN, Md. -- Two employees of an Army research laboratory
were taken to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center Tuesday after a brief
power outage exposed them to small amounts of VX and mustard agent, Aberdeen
Proving Ground officials said.
Fifteen people were monitored for possible exposure to the chemicals, and
two later asked to be treated at the hospital for possible symptoms, Aberdeen
Proving Ground spokesman George Mercer said.
"They thought that whatever symptoms they had warranted further attention,"
Mercer said.
The power outage happened around 11:20 a.m. at the Army Medical Research
Institute of Chemical Defense and lasted less than a minute, briefly shutting
down the hoods that filter the air as researchers work with dangerous chemicals.
Researchers were working with
VX, a nerve agent, and mustard, a blister agent, in different parts of the
lab, Mercer said.
After the blackout, the researchers took steps to decontaminate themselves
and make sure none of the chemicals escaped. Mercer said there was no danger
to the public, other employees or APG residents.
The research institute works on defenses against chemical weapons.
