"Mysterious devices at Rochester airport not hazardous"

Friday, May 11, 2007

Mysterious devices at Rochester airport not hazardous
Officials from the Olmsted County Sheriff's department have confirmed that
canisters found Thursday in a field on the property of the Rochester, Minn.
International Airport did not contain hazardous material.
By Tim Harlow
The Minneapolis (MN) Star Tribune


Officials from the Olmsted County Sheriff's department have confirmed that
canisters found Thursday in a field on the property of the Rochester (Minn.)
International Airport did not contain hazardous material.

A state hazardous materials team removed the canisters from the site this
morning, said Steve VonWold, chief deputy for the Olmsted County Sheriff.

The canisters, which bear a military insignia, were believed to be filled
with a bleaching agent called DS2, which was used for decontaminating
military equipment and vehicles and sold to the public until 1990, VonWold
said.

"They are of military origin and say they contain bleach," VonWold said. "We
have no reason not to believe that's what's in there."

To be absolutely sure, officials have called state hazardous materials team
to remove and inspect them today. 

Authorities were called Thursday afternoon to the Rochester Airport after a
city employee discovered several fire extinguisher-looking canisters in two
cardboard boxes in a field off Hwy. 30 on the south end of the airport
property. The employee called the Olmsted County Homeland Emergency
Operations office.

VonWold said it was not clear how the containers got there.

"They are of military origin, but somebody probably picked them up somewhere
and were cleaning out grandpa's garage and decided to dump them in the
country," said VonWold.

The field, though on airport property, is about 1 mile away from the main
terminal. At no time were operations at the airport disrupted. The city
dumps sand it sweeps off the street at that location.

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