A UF student got minor chemical burns after a chemical spill in a UF science building Monday afternoon.
The student was handling chemicals under a fume hood, a ventilation device that limits exposure to toxic gas, at the Biomedical Sciences Building, at 1275 Center Drive, when some of the chemicals spilled, said Gainesville Fire Rescue District Chief Joseph Shawn Hillhouse.
The student was taken to a hospital, and he is being treated for chemical burns, Hillhouse said. There were no other injuries.
University Police does not have any further information on the student’s condition other than his minor injuries, said Sgt. Tim Peck.
The hazmat team tested the room where the spill happened to check for toxic gas, Hillhouse said.
A GFR engine and UPD patrol cars filled the roundabout in front of the building at about 3 p.m. The majority of the spill was contained inside the hood, said Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Stephen Hesson.
The hazmat team determined that the spill was likely an acid, and the room was safe to enter, he said.
“We approached it with caution, an abundance of caution,” Hesson said. “That’s why we have the whole circus out here.”
The room will be closed until UF Environmental Health and Safety is done cleaning the spill, Peck said.
Gainesville Fire Rescue firefighters come out of the Biomedical Sciences Building in bunker gear after assessing the chemical spill on Monday, Nov. 5, 2018. The spill was contained within the fume hood and the hazmat team determined that the room was safe.
