Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!decwrl!claris!aimt!phil
From: phil@aimt.UU.NET (Phil Gustafson)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Fatalities?
Summary: Misinformed newscasters
Message-ID: <3254@aimt.UU.NET>
Date: 20 Feb 90 04:21:13 GMT
References: <3467@netxcom.DHL.COM>
Organization: Famed Parquet Floor
Lines: 24

In article <3467@netxcom.DHL.COM>, ewiles@netxdev.DHL.COM (Edwin Wiles) writes:
> 1981 March 19
> 	...[A] Rockwell technician is killed and four others injured at
> 	Kennedy Space Center's launch pad 39-A.  The five men had entered a
> 	compartment near the shuttle's engines and immediately passed out from
> 	hypoxia.  Unbeknownst to the technicians, the compartment was being
> 	purged with nitrogen ...


Yes, there was extensive news coverage of this event.

It stands out in my memory because of an outrageous bit of coverage by one
of the local newsfolk.

She expressed the hope that NASA would use "something less poisonous" than
nitrogen for future tank purges.

Sigh.


-- 
				Phil Gustafson, Graphics/UN*X Consultant
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