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Fire at Chemical Weapons Incinerator

By Alabama Public Radio

Anniston, AL – A fire broke out in a processing room at the Army's chemical weapons incinerator in Anniston early Thursday. The fire forced officials to idle the plant for a few days. A spokesperson says no one was hurt in the blaze, and no equipment was damaged. But Army officials do say the site cannot resume destroying weapons until state regulators approve. Workers are still investigating the cause of the fire. But a company statement says empty bags that were used to collect waste caught fire in an enclosed processing room where weapons were being handled. The statement says an alarm sounded in the control room around 3 a.m. Firefighters arrived minutes later, but the fire had already been extinguished by an automatic system. The fire was reportedly in a room that was built with 24-inch concrete-and-steel reinforced walls that were designed to contain an exploding weapon.

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