[meteorite-list] Peru Meteorite Crash 'Causes Mystery Illness'

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2007 12:50:31 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <200709181950.MAA07548_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.guardian.co.uk/space/article/0,,2171920,00.html

Peru meteorite crash 'causes mystery illness'
Rory Carroll
The Guardian (United Kingdom)
September 18, 2007

A meteorite has struck a remote part of Peru and carved a large crater
that is emitting noxious odours and making villagers ill, according to
local press reports.

A fireball streaked across the Andean sky late on Saturday night and
crashed into a field near Carancas, a sparsely populated highland
wilderness near Lake Titicaca on the border with Bolivia, witnesses said.

The orange streak and loud bang were initially thought to be a plane
crashing. When farmers went to investigate, however, they found a crater
at least 10m wide and 5m deep, but no sign of wreckage.

The soil around the hole appeared to be scorched and there was a
"strange odour", a local health department official, Jorge L?pez, told
Peru's RPP radio.

Later the farmers complained of headaches and vomiting. Police who went
to investigate the crater were also stricken with nausea, prompting
authorities to dispatch a medical team that reached the site today.

"The odour is strong and it's affecting nearby communities. There are
500 families close by and they have had symptoms of nausea, vomiting,
digestive problems and general sickness," said Mr L?pez.

At least 12 people were treated in addition to seven police officers who
required oxygen masks and rehydration.

The farmers expressed fears that what appeared to be chunks of lead and
silver around the site could contaminate the soil.

A member of the National Academy of Sciences, Modesto Montoya, told the
state press agency that a fallen meteorite did not present any danger
unless it hit some structure on impact.

"None of the meteorites that fall in Peru and make perforations of
varied sizes are harmful for people, unless they fall on a house," he
said. Another meteorite fell to Earth in Arequipa province in June.
Received on Tue 18 Sep 2007 03:50:31 PM PDT