By
Casey Smith
May 12, 2009
The UW’s Hall Health Primary Care Center was evacuated at approximately 2:10 p.m. yesterday, and Stevens Way was closed from the Communications Building to the HUB after employees on the ground floor of Hall Health reported experiencing a burning sensation in their eyes and throat. No hazardous materials were found after emergency crews evacuated and inspected the building.
Photo by Rob Watters.
Police roped off the area surrounding Hall Health yesterday as the Seattle Fire Department investigated a possible hazardous material incident.
Photo by Rob Watters.
Seattle Fire Department firefighters prepare to enter Hall Health to investigate a potential hazardous material incident.
The ground floor houses the women’s clinic, sports medicine, physical therapy, women studies research and medical records.
According to real-time 911 — an online blotter run by the Seattle Fire Department — 29 vehicles were dispatched to respond to the call, including an air unit. The call was initially categorized as a “HazMat MCI,” meaning multiple-casualty incident. However, only a small number of individuals were inspected on the scene, and none needed treatment.
Hall Health women’s clinic employees said the individuals who experienced the symptoms were in the south end of the building.
UW Environmental Health and Safety was called to investigate and initially evacuated the basement, said UW Police Department Assistant Chief Ray Wittmier. After conferring with the Seattle Fire Department, the decision was made to evacuate the entire building.
“The Seattle Fire Department doesn’t do hazmat responses halfway,” Wittmier said regarding the number of units that responded. “They do the whole thing as a precaution.”
Hazmat teams entered the building to test the air at approximately 3 p.m. The building re-opened at approximately 4 p.m.
Sophomore Frieda Elliot was on her way to fill a prescription at Hall Health when she heard “deafening sirens” when emergency vehicles were driving through campus.
“I guess I’ll just come back tomorrow,” Elliot said after waiting outside the police line for about 20 minutes.
A UW Alert was sent to students at 2:29 p.m. telling them to avoid the area. Another was sent around 4 p.m., informing students that the situation was over.
Building manager Benester Fields verified that the person who initially reported the symptoms is now fine and was able to attend a meeting less than an hour later.
Reach news editor Casey Smith at news@dailyuw.com.
3 Comments
#1 Paul N.
on May 12, 2009 at 10 a.m.(Seattle, WA)
MCI = MULTIPLE CASUALTY INCIDENT
http://www.seattle.gov/fire/mr/TypeCo...
A little less extremist compared to what the article calls it.
#2 itolkov
on May 13, 2009 at 10:27 a.m.(UW Campus | UW Community)
"A UW Alert was sent to students at 2:29 p.m. telling them to avoid the area."
Can someone explain to me why this alert did not show up in my mailbox until 3:10? Given that the building "was evacuated at approximately 2:10", this means approximately an hour gap, somewhat large for an emergency notification system.
#3 Paul N.
on May 13, 2009 at 10:52 a.m.(Seattle, WA)
Is there a reason this article was updated/corrected without any note? Shouldn't corrections be noted? If not, my first comment seems pretty lame.
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