South Korean authorities called for brief evacuations of surrounding neighborhoods on Tuesday following a white phosphorus leak inside the U.S. Osan Air Base, located south of Seoul, according to the country’s Safety Ministry.
No one was reported injured in the incident. The evacuation order for nearby residents was lifted after approximately half an hour, as South Korean firefighters and U.S. military personnel worked together to carry out decontamination procedures, according to Yonhap news agency.
In a statement, the air base described the timeline and its response: “At 1708 (0808 GMT), due to a ground mishap and out of an abundance of caution, Osan AB (Air Base) established a 1,000-foot safety cordon to protect base and local populace.”
The base added: “Our emergency response professionals are currently managing an isolated situation on the installation. We are handling this matter with the utmost care and expediency.”
When contacted about the specific nature of the leak, the base did not immediately respond.
White phosphorus is an extremely hazardous chemical that can burst into flames upon exposure to air. It is commonly used in military applications such as smoke screens and incendiary weapons.
