Emergency.Blog

Hazardous Material Incident in Vegas; Possible Ricin

00:30 CST - 29 Feb 2008

Hazardous Material Incident in Vegas; Possible Ricin Involvement

LAS VEGAS, NV: Early and largely unconfirmed reports coming in to EmergencyNet News sayd that a major investigation is underway at this hour in regard to a hazardous materials incident at the Extended Stay America Motel in the vicinity of Valley View and Flamingo in Las Vegas.

According to emergency service and media reports, Clark County Fire, Homeland Security, Metro Police and 92nd Civil Support Group with the Nevada National Guard have all been dispatched to an incident involving a substance believed to be "ricin." It is believed that additional federal agents are also being dispatched to this incident. Few other details are officially verified at the time of this report.

Watch Emergency.Blog for more on this still developing story...

Additional reference: http://www.lasvegasnow.com/

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Background: Ricin

Ricin is a plant toxin that is 30 times more potent than the nerve agent VX by weight and is readily obtainable by extraction from common castor beans. Castor beans, which grow on a common ornamental plant, can be processed by terrorists using crude equipment and common chemicals to produce the toxin ricin.

1. There is no treatment for ricin poisoning after it has entered the bloodstream. Victims start to show symptoms within hours to days after exposure, depending on the dosage and route of administration.
   
2. Terrorists have looked at delivering ricin in foods and as a contact poison, although we have no scientific data currently indicates that ricin can penetrate intact skin.
   
3. Ricin will remain stable in foods as long as they are not heated, and it will have few indicators because it does not have a strong taste and is off-white in color
   
   -- Source: Terrorist CBRN: Materials and Effects, CIA report, can be found at: http://www.emergency.com/pdf/CBRN_threat.pdf