Fire Stops Work at Umatilla Incinerator

Work at Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility in Oregon stopped Dec. 23 following a fire that occurred during destruction of a rocket that had been drained of sarin nerve agent, the Tri-City Herald reported (see GSN, Dec. 14, 2005).

This was the sixth time a M55 rocket caught fire while being destroyed at Umatilla. This fire occurred during the fifth of seven cuts to the rocket and was contained in the processing room. 

Fire suppression systems were added at Umatilla following fires in April, May and July, according to the Herald (Jeannine Koranda, Tri-City Herald, Dec. 24, 2005).

Both weapons processing lines were running again by the end of the day on Dec. 23, the East Oregonian reported.

The facility as of Dec. 26 had eliminated 50,007 M55 rockets, about 54 percent of those stockpiled at the Umatilla Chemical Depot (Hal McCune, East Oregonian, Dec. 28, 2005).

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