ANNISTON DISPOSAL OPERATIONS TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED
Dec 23, 2009
By Michael B. Abrams (Anniston Chemical Activity (AMC))
ANNISTON ARMY DEPOT, Ala. (December 22, 2009) -- Chemical munitions stockpile demilitarization operations at the Anniston Chemical Agent Disposal Facility (ANCDF) were temporarily suspended following an interruption in the robotic disassembly of a mortar tonight.
ANCDF control room employees were monitoring normal operations at 5:30 p.m. when they noticed a "flash" in one of the facility's two Explosion Containment Rooms (ECR). At the time of the flash, robotic equipment was removing the explosive fuze and burster from a mustard-filled 4.2-inch mortar. The routine operation, done for more than 75,500 other mustard-filled munitions since July, normally includes the separation of the burster from the nose cone.
Under standard operating procedures, the equipment automatically tries to separate the burster from the nose cone. According to the site manager, "At this time the rear portion of the burster flashed. The nose cone assembly appears to be intact."
No one is allowed in the ECR during munition disposal operations there. The "flash" did not injure anyone. There is no apparent damage to ANCDF equipment. Also notable is that the flash did not involve any mustard agent.
The ANCDF manager said, "There was no threat to other ANCDF personnel, the depot work force, or the surrounding community.
"ANCDF disposal operations will not resume until managers and regulators are sure that it is safe to do so," the manager said.
Since disposal operations began in August 2003, more than 437,300 (66.1 percent) nerve agent and mustard-filled munitions have been safely processed. Operations have also processed more than 330,670 gallons (64.8 percent) of liquid nerve and mustard agents. Since July, ANCDF employees have processed more than 75,500 mustard-filled mortars.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
