=46rom Michigan: CMU building evacuated after chemical spill http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-mi-college-chemicals,0,7362083.s tory Associated Press 3:12 p.m. CDT, August 28, 2009 MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - A building at Central Michigan University will remain evacuated through the weekend following a chemical spill. A faculty member suffered chemical burns to his foot after the spill about 10 a.m. Friday at the school's Dow Hall science complex. CMU spokesman Steve Smith says he was treated at Central Michigan Community Hospital and released. CMU says the chemical was a corrosive and flammable mixture of methanol and ethylenediamine (ETH'-el-len-eh-DY-eh-meen). The building was evacuated after the spill while hazardous material workers cleaned up the chemical. Radio station WCMU says the building is expected to reopen when classes resume Monday. Update at: http://www.themorningsun.com/articles/2009/08/28/news/doc4a97efb4063c68944 04029.txt The Morning Sun (themorningsun.com), Serving Northern Michigan News UPDATED: One person hurt, about 200 evacuated after accident in CMU chemistry lab Friday, August 28, 2009 6:35 PM EDT Classes are to resume Monday in a Central Michigan University classroom building after an accident in a chemistry lab hurt one person and shut down the building Friday. About 200 students were evacuated from the Dow Science building mid- morning after CMU emergency officials declared a =93buiding emergency.=94 CMU Police Chief Bill Yeagley said a researcher dropped a beaker containing a base chemical. Some of the chemical splashed on the faculty member, who was not identified. CMU spokesman Steve Smith said the faculty member was treated and released at Central Michigan Community Hospital for chemical burns. No one else was in the lab. Smith said the beaker contained a mixture of 80 percent methanol and 20 percent ethylene diamine, a chemical used in many industrial chemical processes. The chemical gives off a powerful, ammonia-like odor. The faculty member followed proper procedures after the accident, Yeagley said. The building alarm was sounded, Yeagley said, leading to the evacuation and the dispatch of the hazardous materials team. =93I was in physics class. The teacher told us to leave our books and stuff in there,=94 said Mason sophomore Jared Clapsaddle. =93Later, we found out it was a chemical spill." Clapsaddle said he and others thought that when the alarm went off, it was a routine fire drill. They huddled close to the building in a drizzling rain until they were told of the chemical spill. =93Routine fire drills were scheduled for that building and some others,=94 Smith said. Members of the Isabella County Hazardous Materials Team were sent to the scene, and hazmat experts in protective suits were sent into the building to clean up the spill. A Mobile Medical Response ambulance and Mt. Pleasant firefighters were standing by during the cleanup. Afternoon classes in Dow were canceled Friday, but the building reopened about 4 p.m. Rooms 343, 344 and 345 remained off-limits, however, the university said. Those rooms will be open before the start of classes on Monday. Yeagley said he was concerned with keeping the building secure and protecting students' property left behind during the evacuation. If students need their items immediately, the university said they should contact CMU Police at 989-774-3081. Students who can wait until Monday are being asked to pick up their items in the office of the department that ran the class. =A9 2009 themorningsun.com, a Journal Register Property === http://www.studysciences.com/laboratory/potassium-chlorate-lab-safety-prec autions/ Potassium Chlorate Lab Safety Precautions 15 standard lab practices for user of Potassium Chlorate are listed, === =46rom India: http://www.sakaaltimes.com/2009/08/29172143/Fire-brigade-urges-chem-labs-t .html Fire brigade urges chem labs to install sensors, sprinklers Shashwat Gupta Ray Saturday, August 29th, 2009 AT 5:08 PM Tags: Pune, Fire brigade, NCL, detectors, alarms, prevent, sensors PUNE: The chemical laboratories in the city should preferably install smoke detectors with automatic alarms and sprinklers to prevent fire during non-duty hours, the Pune Fire Brigade said on Friday. =93There is a stark similarity between the fire at the forensics laboratory on Ganeshkind Road last year and the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) fire on Thursday. The similarity is the time. In both cases, the fire broke out in the morning before the starting of work hours. This means we have to gear up for fire prevention during non- working hours,=94 assistant divisional officer, Pune Fire Brigade Prashant Ranpise told Sakaal Times. ... (includes LAB SAFETY MEASURES SUGGESTED BY IISC CHEMICAL ENGG DEPT) === http://ub-news.com/news/sudden-fire-at-ncl-pashan-cause-undefined/4297.htm l Sudden Fire at NCL-Pashan, Cause Undefined August 29, 2009 By: Simone Meier Sudden Fire at NCL-Pashan, Effects Undefined - A sudden fire burst out at NCL (National Chemical Laboratory) Pashan on 27th Aug, 2009 at around 8AM. No main damages and injuries have been reported. The cause of the fire till now has not been confirmed and to look after all the damages and everything, NCL formed a 3 member committee. Initially, the fire was noticed by some employees when they saw smoke emerging out from room number 248, Catalyst division, situated at the first floor of the building. Immediately, fire brigade was called and it was under control by around 8.45AM, as per spokesperson of NCL, Dr PK Ingle. Some furniture, freezer, computer printer, laboratory equipments and other commodities were completely destroyed. The assistant divisional officer of fire brigade, DN Nagalkar said, =93We received the call at 8.14 am. Our teams immediately went to the spot. Three fire tenders were pressed into action. We extinguished the fire with water and foam. It took about half an hour to bring the situation under control. He added by saying, =93We suspect it was either due to short circuit or a reaction between chemicals.=94
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