Years ago, in the days of scary lab practises such as doing cut-up without 
gloves, I managed to singe off my eyebrows and nose hairs in an unexpected 
fire. This I acchieved by flaming some Ziehl Neelsen slides with a wodge of 
cotton wool soaked in alcohol and held beneath the slides with forceps. 
Unbeknownst to me, some acetone had spilled into the sink and the fumes 
ignited with a whoosh when the flame was lit. I had a bad smell in my nose 
for weeks. This of course, would not happen today(?) as laboratory 
discipline  and safety controls are  much greater, and sadly open bunsen 
flames are no more.

Louise Renton
Bone Research Unit
MRC
Johannesburg
South Africa
Tel & fax +27 11 717 2298
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana"





>From: Andrew Shand 
>To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
>Subject: RE: Fires in Histology Laboratories
>Date: Mon, 31 Mar 2003 08:15:33 +0100
>
>Tom
>
>Some years ago a British lab had an explosion. It was caused by ether being
>ignited in a fridge.  Unfortunately I cannot remember any details.  
>Somebody
>out there in histoland will I'm sure.
>
>Andy Shand
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Tom Wells [mailto:tomers@shaw.ca]
>Sent: 28 March 2003 17:16
>To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
>Subject: Fires in Histology Laboratories
>
>
>Is anyone aware of a significant fire occurring in a Histology laboratory? 
>I
>am looking at safety in histology labs and specifically fire prevention.
>Thanks. Tom
>
>Tom Wells
>Supervisor, Immunohistochemistry
>Lions Gate Hospital
>North Vancouver, BC, Canada.
>


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