Odd story in MA/RI:

A health official said that authorities have ruled out terrorism in a break-in discovered Tuesday at water supply tanks that serve two bordering communities in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Dr. David Gifford, the director of the Rhode Island Health Department, said at a press conference Tuesday afternoon in North Smithfield, R.I., that the FBI has decided to not pursue the case.

A water ban remains in effect for the towns as officials try to determine if anything was dumped into the water. The water system serves nearly 9,000 residents in Blackstone, and about four dozen residences in North Smithfield.

While there have been no reports of illness, officials in both states are still testing the water for any biological or chemical contaminants, Gifford said.

As a precaution, officials have ordered residents not to use the water for any purposes.

On Monday night someone snipped barbed wire to enter the water storage facility in Blackstone, cut the phone lines to the alarm and damaged an electrical panel and vent at the top of the storage tank. Officials said that they have pinpointed the time the burglar entered the building because when the intruder cut the electricity the clocks stopped at 6 p.m.

Could be some kids farting around but it does show how vulnerable water supplies are.

Update: Bruce notes it was actually some kids farting around. They’ve been arrested.

Posted in uncategorized on March 29th, 2006 by SayUncle | RSS 2.0 |