2 Hurt In University Of Maryland Chemistry Class Accident
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (WJZ)—An explosion inside a chemistry lab at the University of Maryland, College Park sends students to the hospital.
Mike Hellgren explains what happened.
Those two students are in the hospital. Officials aren't sure exactly what the mix of chemicals was because there were several in a wastebucket. But they now have the situation under control.
A violent explosion turned a sophomore chemistry lab at College Park into a danger zone. Two students suffered first- and second-degree burns on their exposed skin after mixing nitric and sulfuric acids with an unknown number of chemicals during an experiment. The students then dumped the mixture in a wastebasket. Authorities believe something else was in that wastebasket, and that caused the explosion.
"As I was walking out, there actually was a girl that came running out from behind me, and she had blood all over her arm and on her neck and stuff," said one student.
First responders evacuated the building and hazmat suits had to be decontaminated after heading into the lab.
"There were as many as 11 students in that chemistry lab when this explosion occurred. Only two of those were decontaminated along with those injured and there are only two injuries," said Mark Brady, Prince George's County Fire Department.
Fire and EMS officials credit a hooded ventilation system with preventing more injuries on the scene.
There was a very large police and fire presence. The building has now been turned back over to the university and they believe it should be safe for students to go back inside.
Authorities have not released the names or ages of the injured, citing privacy concerns.
