Oz EPA Can't Confirm 2-Headed Snake & Rat Reports, Can Confirm Cadmium, Mercury In Brisbane Creek

[hatrack]

The Environment Protection Agency says it has received no firm reports of two-headed snakes and rats near a waterway contaminated with heavy metals west of Brisbane. The Australian Defence Force yesterday confirmed it had found toxins such as cadmium, chromium, mercury and nickel in Warrill Creek near its Air Force base at Amberley, in Ipswich.

It claimed the risk to surrounding residents from the chemicals was low but has warned people against swimming in the creek.

EPA officers conducted water sampling at the site, which feeds into the Bremer River, and have returned today to meet with defence force personnel. The ABC this morning quoted an unnamed RAAF Amberley worker who said he had seen severely deformed animals near the pollution site. "I'd seen myself, I had actually seen a two-headed snake," the man said. "A lot of people had seen the snake themselves and spoken of it but others had seen a two-headed rat so that wasn't an uncommon story to hear."

An EPA spokeswoman said the claims had not been formally lodged with environmental authorities but the matter would be looked into as part of the EPA's "broader investigation" into the contamination.

EDIT

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/twoheaded-snake-claims-surface-in-toxic-creek-scare-20090908-fezh.html