Incident Report: Laboratory Fire
A researcher was performing a deprotonation experiment inside a
hood in his lab. A flask containing two liters of acetone in a dry ice
bath at -78 degrees celsius was secured by a clamp to the hood support
assembly. An injection of diphenylphosphinous chloride was started when
the clamp securing the flask released allowing an unknown quantity of
acetone to splash onto the base of the hood. Cleanup was in progress when
the acetone fumes found a source of ignition and flashed. A small fire
was contained to the hood. Slight damage occurred to electrical equipment
inside the hood. The flash over occurred approximately three minutes
after the spill. The fire was extinguished using a portable fire
extinguisher. No one was injured.
Lessons Learned:
- The Department of Environmental Health & Safety must be notified of
every fire even if it has been extinguished.
- Always check your entire apparatus to be sure everything is secure
before commencing work.
- Always wear the proper personal protective equipment required and take
all required safety precautions for each procedure you do since you never
know when a problem will occur.
Contact your Chemical Hygiene Officer or the Department of Environmental Health & Safety (831-8475) if you have questions or concerns about the
safety of your procedures.