17 May 2004 23:35
Kurgan fire doesn`t endanger chemical weapons depot
"The fire zone is at least 80 kilometers away from the depot, and
there is no direct danger to it. The area around the depot is under
MOSCOW. May 17 (Interfax) - The forest fire in the Kurgan region is not a direct danger to the chemical weapons depot
near Shchuchye yet, said Maj. Gen. Nikolai Bezborodov, who is a member of the State Commission on Chemical Disarmament
and a Duma deputy from the Kurgan region.
strict control," he said.
"Climatic and human factors caused the fire," the general said. "Last fall was rather dry and there
was little snow in winter. The snow blanket is 1.5 meters thick as a rule, but only 10-15 centimeters of snow fell last
winter. The snow was gone by early spring, and the soil became dry. Besides, temperatures have been unusually high. It
was more than 30 degrees Celsius last weekend," Bezborodov said.
"Unfortunately, people did not take this into account and started burning dried grass as usual. Everyone knows
the result: nine people died and about 400 houses burned by last weekend," he said.
The fires started in late April. "A village burned down before May 1, but they took notice of the trouble only
after the holidays," the lawmaker said.
The depot in Shchuchye, where a facility for the disposal of Russian chemical munitions is being built, stores about
2,000 artillery projectiles and missiles that contain about 5.5 tonnes of nerve gases.
For details, see the Interfax - Military News Agency newswire. [RU EUROPE EEU EMRG DIS AER] te tl <>
[Interfax] |
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