Spills

Between 0500 and 0730 on february 8, 1988, 18 canisters, each containing 14 ounces of tear gas (chlorobenzyl…

Alaska Army National Guard; Anchorage, Alaska · Anchorage, Alaska · NOAAORR-6553

issued
1988-02-08 00:00Z
status
cancelled 1988-02-22 00:00Z
self-cancels
1988-02-22 00:00Z
authority
NOAA OR&R
sea
Gulf of Alaska
position
61.255, -149.702
source
incidentnews · first seen 2026-09-03 15:09Z

Original warning text

Alaska Army National Guard; Anchorage,  Alaska.
Anchorage,  Alaska.
1. Between 0500 and 0730 on February 8, 1988, 18 canisters, each containing 14 ounces of tear gas (chlorobenzyl malononitrile, also known as CS gas) were released by the Alaska Army National Guard during a gas mask training exercise. The exercise was being conducted on a portion of the Fort Richardson military reservation immediately adjacent to a large residential neighborhood. When an unexpected wind shift occurred, the gas drifted over the Chugach Foothills neighborhood. Residents suffered severe irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract. The Anchorage fire and police departments received hundreds of calls from affected citizens, and initiated an evacuation. Soon after arriving and discovering the source of the release, they cancelled the evacuation. However, residents were asked to leave the area, if possible, or stay inside their homes. School authorities at first considered [...]
2. COMMODITY: CHLOROBENZYL MALONONITRILE (TEAR GAS). MAXIMUM POTENTIAL RELEASE: 15 GALLONS.
3. POSITION 61.255N 149.702W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 6553: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/6553

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