Officials warn public away from shuttle debris.

The trouble is twofold: Liquid nitrogen could combine with oxygen in the atmosphere to form nitrous oxide, a gas that can be fatal if inhaled. The second possibility is that either liquid oxygen or liquid nitrogen can severely burn anything or anyone it touches, Perry said.

Texas Department of Health spokesman Doug McBride said they were awaiting word from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and NASA as to what hazards the debris may contain.

"We don't know what kind of chemicals are on the spacecraft," he said.

Much of the debris scattered across Nacogdoches, where authorities ordered people to stay 100 yards away from the debris because of contamination fears. Those who had touched the wreckage were urged to get medical attention.

"What we fly in space is operated in many cases with toxic propellant and some of the debris may be contaminated, so we need to be careful," shuttle program manager Ron Dittemore said.

Shuttles have long used a chemical called hydrazine to run their auxiliary power units. Hydrazine, a colorless liquid with an ammonia-like odor, is a toxic chemical and can cause harm to anyone who contacts it.

A water plant was closed in the Louisiana town of Many because of fears that toxic debris fell into the Toledo Bend reservoir along the Texas-Louisiana line.

"To be safe rather than sorry we closed the water plant until further notice," Many Mayor Ken Freeman said.

Here's the text of the entire article in case the link goes bad:

http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/space/02/02/sprj.colu.shuttle.health.ap/index.html

Officials warn public away from shuttle debris

Sunday, February 2, 2003 Posted: 8:56 AM EST (1356 GMT)
Residents look at a piece of debris from the space shuttle Columbia on highway 84 near Maydell, Texas on Saturday.
Residents look at a piece of debris from the space shuttle Columbia on highway 84 near Maydell, Texas on Saturday.
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SPECIAL REPORT
• Debris scattered over 200 miles
• Gallery: The trail of debris
• NASA looks to fuel tank in investigation
• Audio Slide Show
• Gallery: Columbia crew
• Gallery: Columbia's final mission
• Video: Lives, dreams lost on Columbia
• Gallery: Remembering Columbia
• Timeline: Columbia's last moments
• Special Report
TO REPORT DEBRIS
NASA urges people not to go near debris from Columbia because it could contain toxic substances. People who find debris are asked to call (281) 483-3388. NASA has also set up a Web site to collect information that may be helpful in the investigation of the shuttle disaster.external link

DALLAS, Texas (AP) -- From corrosive fuels to ammonia-like liquids, insulation and plastics, space shuttle Columbia carried a witch's brew of toxic and caustic materials designed to work in the hostile environment of space. Authorities warned the public to stay away from shuttle debris because it could be harmful.

"There's nothing on the shuttle beneficial to humans. The fuel, the propellant, all can be very abrasive," said Gene Perry, an engineer who worked on early space station plans put together at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

Perry said either liquid oxygen from the shuttle's fuel system or liquid nitrogen used to inflate the tires could be dangerous.

The trouble is twofold: Liquid nitrogen could combine with oxygen in the atmosphere to form nitrous oxide, a gas that can be fatal if inhaled. The second possibility is that either liquid oxygen or liquid nitrogen can severely burn anything or anyone it touches, Perry said.

Texas Department of Health spokesman Doug McBride said they were awaiting word from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and NASA as to what hazards the debris may contain.

"We don't know what kind of chemicals are on the spacecraft," he said.

Much of the debris scattered across Nacogdoches, where authorities ordered people to stay 100 yards away from the debris because of contamination fears. Those who had touched the wreckage were urged to get medical attention.

"What we fly in space is operated in many cases with toxic propellant and some of the debris may be contaminated, so we need to be careful," shuttle program manager Ron Dittemore said.

Shuttles have long used a chemical called hydrazine to run their auxiliary power units. Hydrazine, a colorless liquid with an ammonia-like odor, is a toxic chemical and can cause harm to anyone who contacts it.

A water plant was closed in the Louisiana town of Many because of fears that toxic debris fell into the Toledo Bend reservoir along the Texas-Louisiana line.

"To be safe rather than sorry we closed the water plant until further notice," Many Mayor Ken Freeman said.