Did CS exposure inside the Mt. Carmel compound prevent any of the inhabitants from exiting?
Although the exact answer to this question may never be known, there are at least two reasons why CS probably did not worsen the situation during the seige. First, on the day tear gas was deployed there was a steady 17 to 24 mph wind, which, combined with gaping holes in the compound made by the tanks, created a situation where much of the tear gas was blown away. Second, there was a supply of gas masks inside the comound, some of which were used by the Davidians during the seige. A fire report written by Texas-based investigators called the tear gas operation a failure.
