Item #: SCP-XXX
Object Class: Safe
Special Containment Procedures: As SCP-XXX is a localized phenomenon and can not be moved, Observation Unit ██ has been built around the area of effect. No other items may be stored or studied by the Foundation within 1 km of SCP-XXX. All manual labour within 100 m of SCP-XXX must be performed only by Class-D Personnel. To facilitate this, all land surrounding SCP-XXX has been purchased by the Foundation. Document XXX-A, containing the accepted cover story, is to be memorized by any personnel working at Observation Unit ██.
Laughter by personnel in the vicinity of SCP-XXX is discouraged in order to prevent false positives. Any laughter not attributed to personnel requires evacuation of the affected area, unless it is required for testing of SCP-XXX.
Description: SCP-XXX refers to a variable area of effect centred around a partially developed area in the outskirts of ██████████ in ██████. All accidents or injuries that occur within the area of effect are accompanied by disembodied laughter, designated SCP-XXX-1, consistently found to be loudest at the location of the event.
Prior to accident or injury, individuals in an affected area will hear a snickering. As the time of the event nears, the SCP-XXX-1 becomes silent, suggesting anticipation. At the moment of the event, SCP-XXX-1 resumes. The extent of the damage that occurs dictates the level and length of the laughter. Injuries to personnel tend to have a greater effect on SCP-XXX-1 than damage to property.
It should be noted that the number of accidents that occur at Observation Unit ██ is far in excess of the average for any given work environment. It is currently unknown whether this is a direct effect of SCP-XXX or a psychological response to SCP-XXX-1, prior to an event. Further testing may be required using a reliable aparatus.
Noteworthy Manifestations of SCP-XXX-1:
██/██/20██: During construction of Observation Unit ██, a worker hears SCP-XXX-1 while operating a welding torch. Snickering ends as the worker looks around for the source of the sound. The welding torch, still active, [DATA REDACTED] first documented injury definitively caused by SCP-XXX-1. D-Class Personnel are called in to complete the remainder of the construction.
██/██/20██: D-XXX-553 participates in Experiment XXX-32 involving a rotary saw surreptitiously set up to cut its own power cord. Personnel observing the experiment are listening to SCP-XXX-1 on headphones. As the cord is about to be cut, SCP-XXX-1 continues to manifest. The short circuit produced by the cutting of the power cord trips a circuit breaker in the portion of Observation Unit ██ in which the researchers are housed. SCP-XXX-1 ends five seconds after the room darkens, causing personnel in the room to panic and attempt to exit the area. Dr. T███ B█████ is trampled and permanently injured, causing laughter that is excess of that recorded in prior experiments. As a result, Junior Researcher M██████ F██ is demoted to L0 due to incompetence for connecting the saw to the facility's central power supply rather than to an independent power supply and experimental procedures are modified to prevent a similar event in the future.
██/██/20██: Researcher A███ T█████, later found to have been coerced by the Chaos Insurgency, smuggles SCP-███ into Observation Unit ██. SCP-███ activates, causing a sound of surprise from SCP-XXX-1, followed by immediate hysterical laughter as a member of the security personnel is bisected along the waist. SCP-XXX-1 continues to follow SCP-███ as it travels directly to Director ██████. ██████ is skinned alive by SCP-███ while SCP-XXX-1 laughs with intensity that exceeds all other events before or since, with the exception of the quake occurring on ██/██/20██.
██/██/20██: Mulitple instances of SCP-XXX-1 are heard throughout the east wing of Observation Unit ██, accompanied by occasional sounds of shushing. Before evacuation could begin, a tremor occurs causing soil liquefaction beneath the affected area, ultimately resulting in the collapse of that portion of Observation Unit ██. Rescue efforts are aided by SCP-XXX-1 which is centred around any survivors in the rubble. Despite this, it takes several hours to extract some personnel. After debriefing, these personnel are provided Class A amnesiacs and psychological counselling, in addition to being assigned to alternate projects. Refer to attached Document XXX-DFC for interview with Security Personnel G█████ P█████.
Addendum: Following the quake on ██/██/20██, Acting Director S██ E███████ has petitioned O5 Command to abandon Observation Unit ██, in favour of making it an automated facility with remote observation via closed circuit. Approval is pending, following further research on behalf of O5 Command.