130 chemical vials uncovered 130 chemical vials uncovered
By Josh Rabe
Published: May 1, 2007
JET — Members of an Army chemicals unit have unearthed at least 130 vials containing samples of chemical warfare agents from a wildlife refuge in northwestern Oklahoma.
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Vials first were discovered at the park more than a week ago by a Boy Scout who was digging for buried crystal formations at the Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge. One shattered as he was digging, releasing a gas that irritated his eyes and lungs, but park officials said they think the boy hasn't suffered any long-term effects from the exposure.
An Army chemical disposal team has been at the site since Friday and is expanding the search area around the hole where the first vial was found, said Karen Drewen, spokeswoman for the U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency.
Park rangers early last week unearthed about 10 more sealed vials buried near the one that shattered. They reported the find to police and military officials, who identified the vials Saturday as leftovers from a World War II-era chemical warfare training kit.
The Army produced about 200,000 of the kits between 1929 and 1969. The kits contained diluted samples of chemical weapons to use in training and decontamination exercises. Although the Army destroyed its stockpile of about 20,000 of the kits, it couldn't account for those that were disposed of by burial, which was a common practice in the 1930s and '40s, Drewen said.
Some of the kits contained diluted mustard gas or lewisite in a solution of mostly chloroform. Others contained diluted solutions of chloropicirin or pure phosgene or cyanogen chloride.
Officials are unsure how long the search will continue or how long the refuge's crystal digging area will be closed.
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