BERLIN, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Specialists from the German armed forces are examining radiation and mercury levels in areas affected by a recent swampland fire in Lower Saxony, the newspaper Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung (NOZ) reported on Friday.
According to the report, German military officials are concerned that flames which raged for over two weeks at a restricted munitions testing site could have led to the release and airborne transmission of potentially hazardous materials. The German armed forces had previously sought to reassure local residents that the fire, which erupted following rocket testing, posed no threat to their health.
An Armed Forces spokesperson confirmed to NOZ that radiation specialists had been deployed to the site where they were "assessing whether emergency personnel could have been exposed to radiation", and "together with geologists" would examine whether heavy metals such as mercury had been released.
NOZ cited information that munitions containing mercury and radioactive uranium had been tested in the restricted zone in the past. The area has been used for military purposes since 1876 and efforts of fire fighters to regain control of the swamp fire were complicated and delayed by risks stemming from suspected remnants of munitions which could still be live.
At its height, the swampland fire spread to an area equivalent to more than 1,000 football pitches.
The Osnabrueck State Prosecution Office has launched a formal investigation into the matter. "Fire-related offenses, especially arson and potentially also environmental offenses come into question when protected areas such as nature reserves are affected," a prosecution spokesperson said.
