Fire Hits Warehouse at Arkansas Arsenal

A fire at the Pine Bluff Arsenal on Monday destroyed a warehouse that was used to store thousands of phosphorus weapons.

June 7, 2005

WHITE HALL, Ark. (AP) -- A fire at the Pine Bluff Arsenal on Monday destroyed a warehouse that was used to store thousands of phosphorus weapons, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Army said.

The fire was in an area miles away from a recently completed incinerator that is destroying the arsenal's chemical weapons stockpile. Security guards spotted the fire about midnight and the blaze was brought under control about an hour later, spokeswoman Raini Wright said. Firefighters let the fire burn out Monday evening and reported it completely out by 7 p.m.

No injuries were reported.

Because the fire was still hot, investigators weren't able to begin searching for a cause, Lt. Col. Searless Hathaway said.

Hathaway said investigators do not suspect foul play.

Billowing white smoke was visible from downtown Pine Bluff, about six miles away. The arsenal has several production facilities, including a smoke grenade plant.

The Pine Bluff Arsenal is home to 12 percent of the nation's chemical weapons stockpile, and destruction of nerve and mustard gas weapons began recently. Two unexpected fires at the chemical weapons incinerator here, and three at a similar facility in Oregon since April 7, forced temporary shutdowns of the incinerator.