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Testing done by a professional hygienist allegedly found heavy metals, lead, cyanide and other contaminants, which would require demolition, removal of dry wall and flooring, and other repairs.

Also present was journalist Al Martinez, who would become a Times columnist and, decades later, write about being haunted by what he saw as the cyanide pellets dropped and the gas rose.

It also confirmed there were no containers on board carrying sodium cyanide, as had been initially feared.

Lloyds List, a shipping data company, said on Monday that it was carrying sodium cyanide.

It later emerged that the Stena Immaculate was carrying jet fuel for the US defence department, while the Solong was carrying containers that previously contained the chemical sodium cyanide, among other cargo.