Work suspended at Ala. chemical weapons incinerator after mustard gas problem

Work suspended at Ala. weapons incinerator

ANNISTON, Ala. — Work was briefly suspended at the Army’s chemical weapons incinerator in east Alabama because of a problem during the destruction of a mortar filled with mustard gas.

The military said Wednesday no one was injured in the incident, which occurred Tuesday, and processing already has resumed at the Anniston Chemical Agent Disposal Facility.

Employees were destroying a mortar filled with mustard gas on Tuesday when they saw what a spokesman describes as a flash in a room filled with robotic processing equipment. The explosive fuse and burster were being removed from the shell at the time.

The ignition didn’t cause any damage, and work resumed after a few hours.