Incinerator workers report mustard leak

STOCKTON, Tooele County — Workers at Deseret Chemical Depot discovered Monday that a trace amount of mustard agent had leaked from the valve of a bulk container.

The discovery was made during routine operations in a storage igloo at the depot, which is near the Army's nerve agent destruction incinerator.

"Depot workers in protective clothing will use specialized equipment to contain the vapor before moving the agent-filled munition to another storage structure," said Aline Southworth, spokeswoman for the depot.

There, technicians will replace the container's hardware.

Tooele County officials were notified of the leak "and there was no danger to the surrounding community," she said.

Asked to check on numbers of recent leaks, Southworth said one other occurred this month, on Feb. 8, while four happened in December.