Old gas sparks U.N. evacuation

Aug 30,2007 00:00 by UPI

UNITED NATIONS - The discovery of old vials possibly containing poison gas sparked the evacuation of a U.N. office Thursday.

The sealed vials containing samples from an Iraqi chemical weapons plant had apparently been in the U.N. office since 1996, a spokeswoman said.

Although U.N. officials said the deadly phosgene in the sealed vials didn't pose a threat to workers, the office was evacuated nonetheless.