SEOUL, July 28 (Reuters) – South Korean authorities ordered evacuations on Tuesday after a leak of white phosphorus inside the U.S. Osan Air Base south of Seoul, the safety ministry said.
There were no reported casualties and the evacuation advisory for nearby residents was lifted after South Korean fire authorities and U.S. Forces Korea carried out decontamination work, Yonhap news agency reported.
White phosphorus is a highly toxic substance that is often used in weapons, and can ignite on contact with oxygen, according to the World Health Organization.
U.S. Forces Korea did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(Reporting by Jack Kim, Hyeyoon Cho and Jihoon LeeEditing by Ed Davies and Andrew Heavens)
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