Chemical Accident In Med. Lab Injures Two

Four hundred people were evacuated from a Harvard Medical School building and two researchers were taken to the hospital for burns after a caustic chemical solution spilled in a biomedical lab Friday morning.

Researcher Mei Zhao suffered burns to her face and arms and was taken to Beth Israel hospital. Researcher Tec Jain Tec suffered arm and hand burns and was taken to Brigham & Women's hospital. Both women were released Friday after-noon.

"At approximately 11 a.m....nitric acid and ethanol were inadvertently combined and the solution splattered on them," according to a Harvard Medical School press release.

The mixture of nitric acid and ethanol creates fumes which are a corrosive irritant. Nitric acid, a strong caustic acid, tends to bubble and splatter whencombined with certain other chemicals.

An air exhaust system within a nearby chemicalfume hood prevented the fumes from spreading, anda charcoal filtering system kept them fromescaping into the areas immediately surroundingthe Medical School, according to the Harvardstatement.

Representatives from the Harvard and Bostonpolice, the Harvard Office of Environmental Health& Safety and Mayor's Office arrived at the site ofthe spill, room 352 of a Medical School buildingat 200 Longwood Ave.

The Boston Fire Department evacuated thebuilding for one and one half hours while thespill was cleaned up. Approximately 400 peoplework in the building, which is devoted primarilyto biomedical research

An air exhaust system within a nearby chemicalfume hood prevented the fumes from spreading, anda charcoal filtering system kept them fromescaping into the areas immediately surroundingthe Medical School, according to the Harvardstatement.

Representatives from the Harvard and Bostonpolice, the Harvard Office of Environmental Health& Safety and Mayor's Office arrived at the site ofthe spill, room 352 of a Medical School buildingat 200 Longwood Ave.

The Boston Fire Department evacuated thebuilding for one and one half hours while thespill was cleaned up. Approximately 400 peoplework in the building, which is devoted primarilyto biomedical research