Workers at Umatilla Chemical Depot finished destroying the nation's supply of 500-pound nerve-agent bombs on Friday, shortly before storms shut down the chemical weapons incinerator.
The depot near Hermiston had 27 of the MK94 bombs, armed with sarin. Other sites already have destroyed the rest of the nation's stockpile.
Friday afternoon, storms with winds gusting up to 85 miles an hour hit
the site, knocking out power and causing minor damage to buildings including
an equipment shed and a security building. Winds lifted a gazebo that overlooks
the incinerator off its foundation, "sort of like 'The Wizard of Oz,' " depot
spokesman Jim Hackett said. "Except there weren't any feet showing."
A generator at the incinerator overheated, leaving the plant without backup power for 45 minutes Friday, and there were unconfirmed reports of a tornado at the depot.
Most of power has been restored, Hackett said Monday, but not everything will be back to normal until later this week. Until then, crews will not resume destroying rockets and 750-pound bombs armed with sarin, he said.