[CPEO-MEF] Umatilla (OR) chem-weapon incinerator fires

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

Umatilla weapon incinerator fires blamed on sweating propellant


Andy Dworkin
The Oregonian
February 23, 2006

Beads of nitroglycerin "sweating" from rocket propellant are the most 
likely cause for a series of fires at Umatilla Chemical Depot's 
incinerator, the U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency says.

A months-long investigation into 21 fires at Umatilla and other chemical 
weapons incinerators found no definite cause. The Army started 
investigating after fires hit the incinerator near Hermiston last year 
as rockets were cut up for incineration. No one was hurt, but 
incineration work at the plant was stopped for weeks.

Scientists tested nine rockets from Umatilla and found 
nitroglycerin-rich liquid beads on the surface of each rocket's 
propellant cylinder. Similar liquid was found on six of nine rockets 
tested from a depot in Pine Bluff, Ark.

...

For the entire article, see
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/114066333285520.xml&coll=7

--


Lenny Siegel
Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
c/o PSC, 278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org


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