RE: Fires in Histology Laboratories

From:"Montague, Donna C"

Message
We've only recently moved back into our lab after a devastating fire that occurred due to investigator laziness. Our collegue collects muscle from the animals we suspend in simulated microgravity for bone loss studies. She freezes the muscle with isopentane. We had several days worth of tissues to collect and rather than take her isopentane back with her to her lab and store it properly, she placed in in our generic freezer with the lid ajar overnight. The freezer filled with vapour. At 3:55 am the freezer compressor sparked and the vapour exploded sending the freezer door fifteen feet across the lab and shooting flames into the lab floor to ceiling. That was Septembet 5, 2002 and we've just now moved back in after repairs. Needless to say, the insurance people were delighted to resupply our lab with spark-less freezers and refrigerators. Have pictures for those interested in them. Donna Montague
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Department of Physiology & Biophysics and
Center for Orthopaedic Research
4301 W. Markham St. # 505
Little Rock, AR 72205
-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Wells [mailto:tomers@shaw.ca]
Sent: Friday, March 28, 2003 11:16 AM
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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