| It was March 19, 1995, during the morning rush hour in Tokyo. Reports of toxic fumes in a subway station began at approximately 8:17 a.m. and quickly escalated into a major mass casualty incident. According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, as many as 565 people were hospitalized and at least 12 people were confirmed dead. The cause of the disastrous incident continued to be one of mystery and intrigue, with a mid-morning statement that the incident was caused by a "random mass attack" perpetrated by an "unknown person or persons." Few other details were released by official sources, except another statement that Tokyo police were treating the incident as "multiple homicide investigation.” The exact nature of the chemical involved remained a mystery for quite some time. Initial reports, attributed to the Tokyo Fire Department, said that the poisonous substance was acetonitrile, an extremely toxic substance used as a fumigant and in metal treatment and photo processing. The next report, from the police department, said that it was believed to have been methyl cyanide, also a very toxic chemical, that can cause rapid injury and death. The latest, confirmed, report concluded that a nerve agent called sarin was the cause of the tragic occurrence. |
