10 Chemical Vials Stolen From University of Waterloo Researchers

Police are searching for 10 vials of a deadly substance after it was stolen from a group of University of Waterloo students who were doing research at a nearby river.

Students were conducting water tests at Moyer’s Landing Park along Grand River in Cambridge around 9 a.m. Saturday when they noticed 10 vials of sodium azide had been taken from a cooler at the research site, said Waterloo regional police.

The stolen goods are being described as clear liquid inside clear glass vials with vacuum seal tops. Each vial contains about 160 mL of the chemical.

According to the Ontario Poison Centre, the chemical can enter humans through skin contact, inhalation, ingestion and intravenous injection.

While it may produce a pungent odour when reacting to metals or other liquids, the Centre for Disease Control warns that by the time a victim notices the smell, it may be too late.

Symptoms of consumption include low blood pressure, diarrhea, vomiting, central nervous system depression causing sleepiness or even comas, chest pain, heart rhythm problems, shortness of breath, seizures and acute heart attacks.

Exposure can be fatal if left untreated.

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Deputies OK After Cyanide Scare In Ponte Vedra, Florida

Two St. Johns County deputies and a woman have been released from a hospital after what authorities are calling a scare with cyanide.

Sergeant Chuck Mulligan says deputies confronted a group in a parking lot in Ponte Vedra on Thursday night. One of the men said he had an open container with cyanide and was planning to use it.

Mulligan says the area was decontaminated and the container was secured by another deputy wearing protective gear. He says preliminary results indicate the substance was the chemical sodium cyanide.

The man remains in the hospital for further observation.

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FBI, ATF Investigate Germantown Wal-Mart Chemical Incident

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. Read more

UK – Terrorists Attempting To Infiltrate Top Bio Laboratories

The security services have intercepted up to 100 suspects posing as postgraduate students who aim to acquire weapons material and expertise.

Dozens of suspected terrorists have attempted to infiltrate Britain’s top laboratories in order to develop weapons of mass destruction, such as biological and nuclear devices, during the past year. Read more

Hospitals Locked Down, 2 Dead In East St. Louis Hazmat Incident – Chemical Exposure

Eight to ten people are hospitalized around the St. Louis area after being exposed to some type of hazardous chemical or material. At least two people are very critical condition.

St. Anthony’s Hospital in South County and DePaul Hospital in West County both shut down their emergency rooms when victims showed up with blue skin. Read more