CBRN Troops Respond Swiftly & Stem Gas Emissions

14 Chemical, Biological, Radiology and Nuclear (CBRN) Regiment of the Sri Lanka Engineers (SLE) recently rushed to Wewelduwa area in Kelaniya and stemmed the emission of a toxic gas from the soil in a residential compound after the National Authority for Implementation of Chemical Weapon Convention (NACWC) alerted the Army experts to the warning.

A gas-masked team of 17 Army personnel of the 14 CBRN Response Regiment upon arrival at the site around midnight on Friday (12) found that the soil was in the process of emitting a gas, identical to colourless Ammonia or Carbon Monoxide which is poisonous, if the toxic concentration would begin to swell.

Army troops after examining the development closely got down a backhoe machine from the Engineer Brigade and dug up the location to find the availability of chemically-contaminated soil components inside. The land-owner had allegedly filled the location earlier with soil stocks brought down from an industrial site. CBRN troops further detected that a chemical reaction developing underground was the direct result of the toxic emission that could harm the lives unless brought under control.

However, CBRN troops at work in the location on the directions of Brigadier Amith Seneviratne, Commander, Engineer Brigade and under the supervision of Lieutenant Colonel T.D.P Siriwardene, Commanding Officer, 12 Field Engineer Regiment managed to douse the emitting smoke and brought the situation under control after removing sacks of soil and refilling the location with new soil.

CBRN troops proving their vital presence in the event of any chemical emergency undertook the assignment after the NACWC, the country's foremost authority for control of such emergencies sought the Army's expertise in this regard around 11.30 at night on Friday (12).

Prior to the involvement of the CBRN troops, firemen of the Fire Brigade had also gone to the location and reportedly tried to extinguish the simmering rounds of smoke at the location.