chemical spill

Hazmat Team Responds to Braintree Medical Facility for Chemical Spill

A hazmat team had to be called to a medical facility Wednesday afternoon in Braintree, Massachusetts, for an accidental chemical spill, according to fire officials.

Firefighters responded to Harvard Vanguard on Grossman Drive just after noon for the reported spill of phenol inside one of the surgery rooms, authorities said.

Phenol is a drug that fire officials said, when airborne, can cause a burning sensation.

Workers inside the building had tried cleaning up the spill with a mop and bucket and it ended up spreading the building's basement, authorities said.

Due to the spill, patients and employees on the first floor of the facility were evacuated and the area was ventilated. Authorities then decided to evacuate the entire building.

At about 2 p.m., the state hazmat team was called in to assist.

"We ventilated it the best we can now, that's why also the state hazmat team will come through with their meters to make sure that it's habitable without that respiratory gear on and then we can get the cleanup crew in," Braintree Fire Department Lt. Freddie Viola said.

Thirty people were evaluated at the scene and 8-10 people were taken to South Shore Hospital for further evaluation, fire officials said. No serious injuries were reported.

The building remained closed the rest of Wednesday. Crews are hoping to have it reopened sometime Thursday.

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