South Korean authorities ordered civilians to evacuate on Tuesday after a suspected white phosphorus leak at a U.S. military base near the capital, Seoul.
Officials in the city of Pyeongtaek urged nearby residents to move to a safe location and avoid skin exposure after the leak at the Osan Air Base was detected at around 5 p.m. The alert was lifted several hours later following the completion of decontamination work, according to text messages sent out by the city.
The U.S. 51st Fighter Wing said it established a 300-meter cordon around the base “out of an abundance of caution” after experts conducting a routine inspection identified white phosphorus crystallization that left residue inside a munitions crate.
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Source: AP News
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