Chlorine cloud prompts evacuation at USU animal lab
This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A cloud of chlorine gas in a Utah State University animal lab prompted an evacuation Friday and sent two people to the hospital.
The evacuation happened about noon after someone put Virkon, a disinfectant, into an autoclave, according to university spokesman Tim Vitale. Once in the autoclave, the Virkon combined with steam and produced chlorine gas. People nearby then began detecting a burning smell, followed by a chemical odor.
Vitale said fewer than 10 people evacuated an animal research lab. Two people went to the hospital as a precautionary measure, though Vitale said both ended up being fine.
A Hazmat crew from Logan responded and helped clean up the scene.
jdalrymple@sltrib.com
Twitter: @jimmycdii