“If there was real phosgene in it – and this is what it looks like at the moment – a catastrophe could have happened. The stuff is so toxic that life in the center of Gmunden could have been extinguished,” police and military experts said. agreed after an employee of a waste disposal company brought a cartridge of phosgene gas to the Gmunden police inspectorate.
The “Krone” reported: An employee of a waste disposal company in Pinsdorf brought a plastic container with a gas cartridge of about one kilogram to the police station in Gmunden in Upper Austria on Friday morning because the object, which was probably deposited on the company premises, seemed suspicious for a long time . And rightly so, because the cartridge said “Phosgene”. This is a war gas known to historians as the most terrible weapon of the First World War under the name “Grünkreuz”.
„Grunkreuz“
The poison gas phosgene was first used by the French in 1915 during World War II as a chemical warfare agent. The designation “Green Cross” stems from the fact that grenades were marked with green paint during World War I. The cap of the detonator was painted green and there was a green cross on the bottom of the cartridges. The smell of the gas is reminiscent of hay or fruit.
In heavy equipment
After the Gmunden police officers realized the danger of the strange “gift”, their own polluting agents and those of the federal army were alerted, the office was evacuated and the street in front was closed. The specialists arrived in heavy protective suits.
Waiting for analysis
Whether the cartridge, which could also be from the 1960s, actually contains phosgene gas, should be clarified by the military this week. In any case, the question is where it comes from. Because the phosgene gas is usually only used in closed circuits in the pharmaceutical industry or chemical plants.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
