06/12/2010 // West Palm Beach, FL, USA // Tara Monks // Tara Monks
New Bedford, MA – Crews began decontaminating an Atlantic City-based clam boat that was quarantined for mustard gas exposure on Wednesday, June 9, 2010, as reported by NJ.com. Previous information on the incident that led to the exposure was reported on www.topwirenews.com.
Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Jeff Hall said officials were hoping the ship would be free by Thursday, June 10.
Hall reported the cleanup crews were using bleach to dilute the mustard gas.
Hall also reported the National Guard boarded the vessel to search for any other contaminated areas as well.
As was previously reported, The ESS Pursuit netted the canisters 45 miles south of Long Island, but dumped them back into the water when a crewmember developed blisters.
Two crewmembers were taken to the hospital Monday upon returning to port. The boat remained under quarantine as members of the National Guard’s hazardous material team and a Rhode Island-based firefighting unit prepared to investigate the boat.
The National Marine Fisheries Service and the Massachusetts Department of Food and Agriculture are investigating whether the clams caught during the trip were contaminated. The catch was sold Monday in New Bedford.
It was later reported by NJ.com that crewman Konstantin Burndshov, who was hospitalized after suffering blisters from the gas exposure, was listed in good condition Wednesday.
Reports on whether the boat’s catch, which was sold upon returning to port, may have been exposed to the chemicals or not were not found.
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