Brief alert issued after U.S. military reports low-risk white phosphorus leak at air base
Key Takeaways
- •Police and fire authorities were notified by the U.S. military at about 5:07 p.m. about a white phosphorus leak at K-55 Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek.
- •The city issued a precautionary evacuation alert to warn nearby residents about possible skin exposure, then lifted it about 36 minutes later.
- •Officials said the substance leaked from two munitions, but the exact amount released has not been confirmed.
- •The U.S. military said the leaked chemical had been diluted by about 80 percent and posed low risk to public health and the environment.
- •No casualties were reported, and U.S. and local emergency teams largely completed operations at the scene.
A brief evacuation alert was issued Tuesday in Pyeongtaek, the regional city that hosts U.S. Forces Korea, after a report of a minor white phosphorus leak at a U.S. base that officials said posed a low risk.
Police and fire authorities said they received a call from the U.S. military at about 5:07 p.m. reporting a leak of the toxic chemical at the K-55 U.S. Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, about 60 kilometers south of Seoul.
The Pyeongtaek city government issued an alert informing the public of the possible white phosphorus leak and advising nearby residents to evacuate to a safe location to prevent skin exposure.
White phosphorus is an extremely toxic substance that can burn human tissue down to the bone on contact. Its military use is tightly regulated and discouraged by the international community.
Officials said the substance leaked from two munitions, although the exact amount released has not been confirmed. No casualties have been reported.
The U.S. military reportedly told the city that the leaked substance had been diluted by about 80 percent and posed a low risk to public health and the surrounding environment.
Pyeongtaek authorities lifted the evacuation advisory about 36 minutes after the initial alert, telling residents it was safe to return to normal after necessary measures were completed at the U.S. base.
The rapid warning-and-clear cycle highlighted the coordination required when incidents occur near densely populated areas around major military facilities, where local officials often rely on U.S. military updates before advising residents. In this case, authorities said the alert was precautionary and was removed after the on-base response was completed.
The U.S. military confirmed that a "ground mishap" had occurred and cordoned off the area to protect the base and local residents, saying the situation was being addressed swiftly.
"Our emergency response professionals are currently managing an isolated situation on the installation. We are handling this matter with the utmost care and expediency," the U.S. 51st Fighter Wing said in a statement.
The unit added that some reports of a general evacuation of Osan Air Base were incorrect.
The leak report prompted authorities to send firefighters and related equipment to the scene and coordinate a joint response with the U.S. military, officials said.
Police set up a cordon with patrol vehicles about 300 to 500 meters from the base as a precaution and blocked civilian access while traffic was diverted.
"The chemical substance, used for cleaning warheads, leaked inside the K-55 munition depot, but the U.S. military informed us that the situation is now under control and poses no danger," a police official said.
"A U.S. military explosive ordnance disposal team and our firefighters responded to the scene, and operations are now largely complete," the official said.