2 Hurt In Explosion At Amgen Lab In South San Francisco
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) - Two people have been injured in an minor explosion at South San Francisco biotech firm Amgen.
The flash fire in a liquids cabinet on the third floor blew out a number of windows on one of the floors of the building, according to fire officials. One worker suffered serious facial injuries and the other suffered injuries to one or both hands. Both workers were hospitalized.
South San Francisco Fire Marshal Luis De Silva said that some cleaning solvents used to sterilize equipment caused a chemical reaction that spawned the flash fire. He said evacuation of the building on the 1100 block of Veterans Blvd. was a precaution.
Da Silva said it was determined that no chemicals were released into the atmosphere and that there was no public health concern.
It's the second explosion at the facility in a year. In May, one person was hurt in an explosion that led to a citation against the company.
According to the San Mateo County Times, the worker in that case was collecting hazardous materials when a flash fire ignited, seriously burning the worker.