Chemical Spill in Lyman Deemed Minor Accident

Monday's chemical spill at the Lyman Physics Laboratories was a minor accident, according to University officials.

The spill, which also forced out all occupants out of the Jefferson and Cruft Laboratories, was quickly contained and the evacuated facilities were reopened about three hours later.

"It really turned out not to be a particularly serious incident. Everyone seems to be fine," said Sally Baker, a spokesperson with the Harvard News Office. "It was really a non-story."

Gerald R. Rearden, deputy chief of the Cambridge Fire Department, said the spill "could have involved a very, very small amount [of phosphoric acid]" and might have been caused when the acid came into contact with "very small shards of metal."

Lyman, located behind the Science Center, is a physical research building. It contains no classrooms, but does contain research laboratories, faculty, staff and visiting scholars' offices and some departmental administration offices.

Yesterday's spill was the third at a Harvard laboratory this month and the fourth lab-related accident at Harvard in the last few months.

While the exact cost of the clean-up has not been determined, Hugh J. Griffin, director of Harvard's environmental health and safety department, said he "[assumed] somebody at Harvard will pay for it."