Star Staff Writer
| A furnace duct monitor at the Tooele Chemical Agent Disposal Facility indicated the presence of VX nerve agent early Saturday morning, according to Army spokesman Chuck Sprague. A follow-up test, using different monitoring technology, ruled out the presence of nerve agent, but officials kept the incinerator’s furnaces idle, saying in a press release, “Operations will not resume until the cause of the interferent is verified.” A press release defines the term “interferent” as “a non-chemical agent substance which exhibits characteristics similar to that of VX nerve agent on monitoring equipment.” Officials with the State of Utah Department of Environmental Quality agreed that nerve agent was not the cause of the alarm. Although a cause had not been verified as of Wednesday night, according to Sprague, officials decided to restart all operations except the affected furnace. Neither of the incinerator’s two liquid-burning furnaces was destroying agent at the time of the alarm, Sprague said. The furnace that caused the alarm was burning decontamination solution used to neutralize agent, including VX, on equipment and protective clothing. Lab workers had certified the decontamination solution as agent-free, according to Sprague. The other furnace was burning natural gas, to bring it up to temperature. Incinerator officials believe a substance used in recent re-bricking of the affected furnace may have triggered the monitor. Because the incident was classified as a “non-chemical event,” according to Sprague, officials did not alert the incinerator’s public affairs office during the weekend, and no public announcement was made until Monday. Sprague said the delay was a mistake. “Shame on us, and that won’t happen again,” he said. |
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About Rob Jordan
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Rob Jordan covers criminal justice issues for The Star. |
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