dpkg-deb --fsys-tarfile: what's wrong?

[Joop Stakenborg <aba@casema.net>]

I have been getting these warning with the latest gnomehack and
mozilla packages:

(Scanning database ... 54930 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking mozilla (from .../mozilla_19991214.M12pre-2_i386.deb) ...
dpkg-deb: subprocess paste killed by signal (Broken pipe)
dpkg: error processing 
/var/cache/apt/archives/mozilla_19991214.M12pre-2_i386.deb (--unpack):
 subprocess dpkg-deb --fsys-tarfile returned error exit status 2
Preparing to replace gnomehack 1.0.4-3 (using .../gnomehack_1.0.5-1_i386.deb) 
...
Unpacking replacement gnomehack ...
dpkg-deb: subprocess paste killed by signal (Broken pipe)
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/gnomehack_1.0.5-1_i386.deb 
(--unpack):
 subprocess dpkg-deb --fsys-tarfile returned error exit status 2
Errors were encountered while processing:
 /var/cache/apt/archives/mozilla_19991214.M12pre-2_i386.deb
 /var/cache/apt/archives/gnomehack_1.0.5-1_i386.deb
E: Sub-process returned an error code (1)

What's going on here?
-- 

 Joop Stakenborg PA4TU, ex-PA3ABA 
      <pa3aba@debian.org>
 Linux Amateur Radio Software Database
    http://radio.linux.org.au