July 23, 2009

Two custodial workers at California State University, Fresno were treated and released from St. Agnes Medical Center early Friday after breathing fumes from gel-filled cold packs left in a beaker of water on a chemistry laboratory hot plate that had been left on accidentally.

Lisa Kao, the university environmental quality manager, said the plastic-wrapped chemical (food-grade sodium acetate) was left in a container of water on a hot plate burner turned to low when the lab class in McLane Hall ended at 4 p.m. Thursday.

By 1:30 a.m. Friday, the water had boiled away, and the chemical was heated to a point where fumes were released into the room. When custodial workers opened the door to clean the room, two breathed in the fumes.

The Fresno Fire Department was alerted and a hazardous materials response team cleared the room of fumes without further incident.

Kao can be reached at 559.278.6910 or lisak@csufresno.edu.