Turley Publications courtesy photo

The First Civil Support Team of the Massachusetts National Guard pictured in an exercise drill here, responded to potential hazardous chemical situation in Warren last Friday morning.

False alarm brings in National Guard

Turns out to be common bug pesticide

By Jonathan Cook

Turley Publications Reporter

WARREN – Responding to information that a military ammunition crate stored in the garage of 605 Brimfield Road contained hazardous military grade materials, emergency response personnel came out in force last Thursday afternoon.

According to Police Chief Bruce Spiewakowski, authorities were acting on information that Cliff Armitage, a veteran in his eighties who passed away more than a year ago, left behind a dangerous surprise.

Spiewakowski said that Armitage’s son-in-law told authorities that the old vet had always said to stay away from the crate because it contained lethal material.

On the other hand, Alberta Armitage, Cliff’s widow, told police that the crate contained common pesticides. According to authorities, it was Alberta’s plan to dispose of the material by dispersing it in her backyard that prompted her son-in-law to alert police.

Chief Spiewakoski said the possibility that military grade materials were contained in the ammunition crate was enough to cause authorities to act as if the situation were a worst case scenario.

He said, “I’ve heard of World War II vets coming into police stations with live grenades and saying 'what do I do with this'?”

Because the nature of what police had on their hands was unknown, they notified the state Joint Hazardous Assessment Team as well as the District Three HazMat Team. Also Fire Chief James Dolan took charge as Incident Command for a possible hazardous material situation.

Authorities evacuated Alberta Armitage and her adult son from their residence and closed Rt. 19 (Brimfield Road) to traffic between Reed Street and Brook Road during the evening commute.

At that time, officials took air samples in the garage. The results of those samples were not alarming, Spiewakowksi said.

However, he added, an x-ray of the box “raised some eyebrows.” He explained that what could be seen was “a complex but rudimentary” homemade applicator device consisting of a pair of tanks, some tubing and a valve system, as well as containers of unknown material.

After that, sometime around midnight, military expertise was summoned. The First National Guard’s Civil Support Team (CST), also known as the Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team, was called in to take over.

According to the National Guard’s website, “The First Military Support Detachment was constituted in October, 1998 and stationed at Natick. In 2000 it was re-designated as the First Civil Support Team. The team consists of 22 full-time Army and Air personnel. The First CST, a highly-trained unit, is on-call 24 hours a day.”

Within three hours the CST arrived with a command vehicle and other assorted specialized vehicles and equipment. Using a robot, the ammunition crate was removed from the garage and deposited into a containment vehicle, where it was opened. The contents were found to be “Bug B Gone” as well as a flea and tick killer.

The device that raised eyebrows was a homemade applicator that involved a valve fitting for an air hose attachment.

By about 4 a.m. the situation had been resolved. Brimfield Road was reopened after 10 hours. Mrs. Armitage was allowed back in her home.

“God forbid it could have been much bigger,” said Spiewakowksi.

Dolan agreed with that sentiment. “Public safety is top of the list,” he said. “This could have been very deadly, very dangerous.”

If nothing else, both local chiefs agreed, this was top notch drill, albeit a long one. Dolan, along with other full-time fire department personnel, were up until past 4 a.m. and back on for their regular shift later that morning after scant hours of sleep.

Still, said Spiewakowski, “I was impressed how coordinated the HazMat team was, and all the agencies. It was fantastic.”

Again, Dolan agreed. “Everything worked well. I can’t say enough about how well all the agencies worked together,” he said. “Even though those guys are the experts, as Incident Command, I was in every briefing, in on every decision.”

Where is the commotion-causing “Bug B Gone” now?

“Sitting in my office,” Dolan said. He added that it will be disposed of through a regulated hazardous waste stream.