A Boston College doctoral student nearly blew herself up yesterday on Saturday morning when a chemical used in making mustard gas exploded in her hand, according to school spokesman Jack Dunn.
The student who has yet to be identified, suffered cuts on her face and burns on her hands. Dunn says the student was decontaminated and transported to St. Elizabeth Hospital.
Students who noticed the small blast in the basement lab and altered the Boston police. Fire officials and a hazmat crew reported to the scene after 10:45 a.m. Saturday to the Merkert Chemistry Center on Beacon Street where the explosion took place. The entire building was evacuated.
The student told emergency workers that she was using a chemical called thionyl chloride in her lab experiment. Thionyl chloride can be used to make mustard gas and nerve toxins, and is used in batteries and herbicides.
Dunn says that the student is fine and that no other injuries were reported. Fire officials are still unsure as to what kind of experiment the student was conducting.
“In the city of Boston itself, there are over 5,000 laboratories,” school spokesman Steve McDonald told the 7 News WHDH. “This happens around the city…it’s just part of the amount of labs we have and the large student population.”
http://www.necn.com/06/25/11/Crews-respond-to-chemical-explosion-at-B/la…