SFU chem labs evacuated

SFU chemistry labs evacuated
By Dan Hilborn, Burnaby Now assistant editor
Published May 31, 2003

An unknown number of people were evacuated from the chemistry department of the Shrum science building at Simon Fraser University on Friday morning after an strange smell wafted through the air.
While the exact nature of the spill and any injuries were unknown as the Burnaby NOW went to press, it was known that the Burnaby fire department hazardous materials response team was dispatched to the scene.
Kathryn Aberle, a spokesperson for SFU, said the incident was still being investigated. However, as of about 11:30 a.m., there was no evidence of any kind of spill, other than the unusual smell.
Firefighters were ventilating the affected area as a precaution, Aberle said.
"At this point it would appear that there were few people on campus, and that was a good thing," Aberle said. "A couple of people were affected in that they felt slightly faint and headachy from what they were smelling. As far as I know, no one was taken to hospital, but I can't verify that."
The area in question is predominately science laboratories. However, there are some lecture halls and offices in the building, Aberle said.
An investigation into the incident will be conducted by the SFU occupational health and safety team, she said.