3 Injured In Lab Explosion On ASU's Tempe Campus

Phoenix AZ

15 September, 2020

8:19 PM

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PHOENIX — Three people were injured in a lab explosion at Arizona State University's Tempe campus Tuesday morning, ASU officials confirmed. The incident occurred around 11:30 a.m. when a canister filled with compressed gas burst open at ASU's BioDesign Institute. Two of the individuals involved were taken to the hospital with injuries. In a tweet, ASU Police Department confirmed the injuries and asked students to avoid the area around McAllister Avenue. ASU Police and Tempe Fire are investigating a lab injury at Biodesign A (1001 S. McAllister Ave). Avoid the area until further notice.— Arizona State University Police Department (@ASUPolice) September 15, 2020 A spokesperson for Tempe Fire Medical Rescue Department told Fox 10 that the explosion occurred during a routine clean-up in the lab. "With the information that we had, we had an overpressurization during the decontamination process," Andrea Glass, assistant fire chief, told the outlet. The gas in the canister was chlorine dioxide, which is commonly used as a bleach and can be flammable in high concentrations. The three injured individuals were identified by Tempe Fire as contractors who routinely decontaminate the lab. The building was evacuated and the area was cleared for normal activity just before 1 p.m., according to ASU's official Twitter. An investigation into the incident is ongoing.