AMGEN WORKERS EVACUATED SMALL CHEMICAL SPILL RUMORED AS BOMB THREAT, MAKING EMPLOYEES ANXIOUS.A five-gallon drum of highly flammable chemical solvent spilled Thursday in one of Amgen's research buildings, prompting the evacuation of 300 employees amid rumors of a bomb threat. Nearly 50 firefighters, three hazardous materials teams and county environmental health officials responded to the ethanol spill at 10:54 a.m., fueling speculation among anxious employees. ``There was a rumor earlier in the day that a bomb threat was phoned in,'' Amgen spokesman David Kaye said. ``It's a total mistake. There were no bomb threats. It was related to seeing the Hazmat trucks. ``I would say everybody in the U.S. and possibly worldwide is jittery,'' Kaye said. ``Today at Amgen, we had a small industrial spill. It was somehow perceived as more than that.'' A firefighter loaded with safety gear suffered heat exhaustion heat exhaustion, condition caused by overexposure to sunlight or another heat source and resulting in dehydration and salt depletion, also known as heat prostration. The symptoms are severe headaches, weakness, dizziness, blurred vision, and sometimes unconsciousness. and was taken to St. John's Pleasant Valley Hospital St. John's Pleasant Valley Hospital is a hospital in Camarillo, California, USA. It is currently operated by Catholic Healthcare West. History The hospital was founded in 1974[1]. in Camarillo for treatment. ``He's OK,'' Ventura County Fire Department Not to be confused with Ventura Fire Department. The Ventura County Fire Department (VCFD) provides fire protection and emergency response services for the unincorporated areas of Ventura County, California, and for six other cities within the county. spokesman Joe Luna said. ``It was really hot out there.'' By about 3 p.m., absorbent absorbent /ab·sor·bent/ (-sor´bent) 1. able to take in, or suck up and incorporate. 2. a tissue structure involved in absorption. 3. a substance that absorbs or promotes absorption. pads soaked up the spill at the world's largest independent biotechnology company of 6,000 employees; workers were allowed back into the three evacuated buildings a half-hour later, Luna said. While the chemical spill chemical spill Public health An inadvertent release of a liquid chemical regarded as hazardous to human health which in a workplace is identified with hazardous materials labels. See Material Safety Data Sheets. was small, it could have been dangerous, he said. ``The alcohol vapors are explosive and can easily ignite from an open flame source,'' Luna said. ``Any alcohol (fumes fumes odorous gases and other volatile materials; inhalation of irritating fumes causes coughing and, if sufficiently severe, irreversible pulmonary edema. ) can cause respiratory problems. ``We don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. why the five gallons spilled.'' Amgen uses ethanol, a petroleum-based liquid, to clean instruments and robots that conduct experiments, Kaye said. ``One of the scientists working in the area noticed a small puddle on the floor and sought to contain it,'' he said. ``He immediately called security and they called (the) fire (department).'' Kaye said Amgen people immediately moved any source of ignition in the building away from the spill. Three buildings were evacuated only as a precaution. |
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