« Update: Trial rescheduled for methadone clinic death | Today | Update: Fatal shooting victim ID'd as Woonsocket man »

March 31, 2008

Possible chemical leak at VA hospital probed / Photos

Journal photo / Bill Murphy
Providence firefighters in hazardous materials suits enter the Veterans' Medical Center as they respond to an alalarm about an ethylene oxide leak this morning. No one was in the room at the time of the alarm, and no injuries were reported.

PROVIDENCE -- Fire and rescue crews are on the scene at the Veterans' Medical Center in Providence investigating a possible ethylene oxide leak.

An alarm came in at about 7:45 a.m. from the hospital, at 830 Chalkstone Ave., according to James Taylor, chief of communications for the Providence Fire Department.

A hazardous materials crew has arrived and police have blocked off Regent Avenue, which leads into the center's complex.

James Burrows, director of communications for the center, said the alarm went off in a room where equipment is sterilized. No one was in the room when the alarm went off, he said, and no one was in danger.

Ethylene oxide has many uses, in a medical setting, it's often used for sterilization. It's also flammable and highly reactive. Exposure can lead to lung irritation and injury, headaches, nausea and vomiting, and other problems.

-- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff photographer Bill Murphy

Journal Photo/Bill Murphy
Crews outside the VA Medical Center where they're investigating a possible chemical spill.

Posted by Brandie Jefferson  at 11:11 AM | Permalink

Comments

Post a comment

Please be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish.

Name:

Email Address:

URL:
Remember Me? YesNo

Comments: (you may use HTML tags for style)