From: believer@telepath.com Subject: IP: Germ sabotage scare empties city buildings-Australia Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 08:49:10 -0500 To: believer@telepath.com Source: The Australian http://www.theaustralian.com.au/webie.asp?URL=/state/4366234.htm>http://www. theaustralian.com.au/webie.asp?URL=/state/4366234.htm Germ sabotage scare empties city buildings The Courier-Mail - 12sep98 POLICE are investigating a possible attempt to sabotage a Brisbane city building by putting the potentially deadly legionella bacteria in the air-conditioner. A canister suspected of containing the bacteria was found in the water cooling system for the Mercantile Mutual building's air- conditioning unit on Thursday. Police suspect the canister was placed there deliberately because recent routine tests on the Edward Street building's air-conditioning showed no sign of the deadly bacteria in its system. Det Snr-Sgt Bryan Paton said the maintenance company responsible for the unit had not seen the canister when it previously checked the water cooling tower. "There is an indication that the device has been put in the water deliberately and there is a concern there may have been some legionella bacteria in the device and we have to wait for those results," Sgt Paton said. "It wasn't a threat to the public or anybody and the air-conditioning system has since been decontaminated but the concern is that someone has done it deliberately. "At this stage we are treating it very seriously." Police also are investigating how someone got access to the air-conditioning unit. The canister sparked a mass evacuation of another city building yesterday when it was delivered there by mistake. Maintenance workers delivered the canister to the Mercantile Mutual building managers, whose offices are in the MLC building. The MLC building, in George Street, was evacuated about 2pm yesterday when the canister, sealed in a metal container, was discovered by office staff. Police and fire and ambulance crews were called to the scene and two Queensland Fire Service officers wearing protective clothing removed the canister. The building was declared safe 90 minutes later and staff returned to work. Insp John Flanagan said the evacuations were a precautionary measure and the canister had been taken to the Government Chemical Laboratory for analysis. The company responsible for managing the MLC building refused to comment, but a staff member said the scare had been blown out of proportion. The bacteria needs a moist environment to develop into the water-borne legionnaires' disease which can cause pneumonia, fever and death. The disease is contracted by inhaling air contaminated by air-conditioning cooling towers, or through whirlpool spas and showers containing contaminated water. The Australian upper limit for legionella bacteria in air- conditioning is a colony count of 10,000. The Mercantile Mutual building had a colony count of 2000. Sgt Paton said police did not know the reason for the possible sabotage and no demands or threats had been made. "People maintaining the air-conditioning units in other buildings should be aware of this and ensure all proper precautions are made," Sgt Paton said. Brisbane Southside Public Health Unit medical officer Brad McCall said legionella was a very common bacterium found in creeks, ponds, air-conditioning cooling towers and hot and cold water taps. © News Limited 1998 ----------------------- NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ----------------------- ********************************************** To subscribe or unsubscribe, email: majordomo@majordomo.pobox.com with the message: (un)subscribe ignition-point email@address ********************************************** www.telepath.com/believer **********************************************