September 19, 2007
Chemical spill forces Brown Lab evacuation, labs canceled
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A chemical spill in a Purdue University building Wednesday afternoon (Sept. 19) forced the evacuation and cancellation of classes and lab sessions for the remainder of the day in the facility.Purdue fire and police departments were called to the Brown Laboratory of Chemistry at 1:41 p.m. in response to the spill, and the building's evacuation was ordered at 1:47 p.m. Purdue fire chief Kevin Ply said a postdoctoral researcher working in a fifth-floor lab was removing methyl acrylate from a refrigerator shortly after 1:30 p.m. when the container fell to the floor and spilled. Less than a cup of the chemical was spilled, Ply said.
The postdoctoral researcher was sent by a faculty member to the university's student health center to be examined, and Ply said there were no injuries.
Methyl acrylate is a clear, flammable liquid solvent that is commonly used in a variety of chemical reactions.
Personnel from the Purdue Fire Department and Radiological and Environmental Management were at the scene to clean up the spill and ventilate the building. Work at the site was expected to be completed around 3:30 p.m.
Writer: Elizabeth Gardner, (765) 494-2081, ekgardner@purdue.edu
Source: Kevin Ply, (765) 494-6919
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
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