FBI, ATF Investigate Germantown Wal-Mart Chemical Incident
January 23, 2009 by national
Filed under Homeland Security News
FBI lab test results are expected next week as the investigation continues into the chemical spill at a Wal-Mart store in Germantown.
The FBI is trying to identify a substance found at the store last Thursday. Germantown’s chief said they’re not sure it’s the source of the fumes or if a crime occurred, but they’d rather be safe than sorry.
“Do you have any hard evidence at the moment that it’s a crime?” 12 News reporter Colleen Henry asked.
“No, we’re not calling it a crime,” Germantown Police Chief Peter Hoell said.
Hoell said investigators treated this as a crime scene to preserve evidence in case they determine a crime occurred, but he said it may well have been an accident.
“You have a lot of chemicals in that store of varying degrees. Someone could have mixed two chemicals not even knowing it, cleaning whatever,” Hoell said.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives collected samples of a chemical found in the store. The FBI is testing it.
Hoell said they’re not even sure it was the substance involved, but in any case, he won’t offer more details.
“We’re not going to identify what it looked like, how much, what it was made up of as far as being liquid or powder or anything like that because if we discover it was intentional, it was a crime, then that’s important for nobody else to know other than us and the suspect,” Hoell said.
Police have no suspects.
Back at the Wal-Mart, it was business as usual on Friday, but shoppers would like to know what happened…
“I guess I just didn’t know what to think about it, you know. At first, I didn’t really think it was nothing, but apparently it’s a little bit more serious,” customer Nick Peotzl said.
via Source
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At first glance it looks like an accidental combination of cleaning supplies. People manage to remove themselves from the gene pool every year by cleaning the bath tub with comet cleanser and another unnamed cleaning agent that I could be arrested by telling you what it is, so I won’t (sorry, Lon Horiuchi, you’ll have to find another target).
At second glance, this incident could be another “test” by someone testing responses and procedures. That is one reasons why continuous vigilance by responders and Aware & Responsible Citizens is a requirement.
You can find the mixes for anything on the Internet, posted by folks whose idea of being clever is to be irresponsible like the YouTube kids who made Napalm in the driveway and then caught themselves on fire
Remember, dear reader, that if you read these announcements you are likely an Aware & Responsible Citizen (A&RC). You have a concealed weapons permit, you regularly train yourself and your family for home defense and survival. You definitely know Right from Wrong and the Founder’s Meanings. You, fellow ARC, are non-threatening but non-threatened. Just like Grasshopper, you watch silently and learn, then when needed, pounce if absolutely needed.
The ARC should watch for likely moments such as this situation and quietly take notes, camera pictures, observations and then make sure the locals get the information from you. Follow that up by writing the whole incident you observe up into an article and send it to the local newspaper so that there can’t be a cover-up.