[Histonet] Fire in the lab

[Stephanie Rosenwinkel]

A few years back, I also had a fire break out while cleaning off the weighing instrument. There was left over powders of other chemicals on there and my gauze started on fire. So needless to say, please clean up after yourselves! It was Scary, very scary! I tried to yell for help but nothing would come out of my mouth, so I called 911. 

It was a lesson learned the hard way, for sure.

Steph HT(ASCP)

> To: christiegowan <@t> msn.com
> From: DKBoyd <@t> chs.net
> Date: Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:50:08 -0500
> Subject: Re: [Histonet] Fire in the lab
> CC: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu; histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> 
> Not exactly the same, but very similar.  We had an automatic stainer by 
> the sink and one of the techs was washing glassware, the stainer was 
> running.  The water apparently splashed on the wiring and a fire broke 
> out.  We jumped into action.  Just as we had been in-service.   You are 
> correct what a mess to clean up!  Fire extinquishers are wonderful but 
> extremely messy.  We had totally taken care of the situation by the time 
> the fire department got here.  We actually got accolades for preventing a 
> much larger fire.  It was determined that there was some exposed wires on 
> the stainer. 
> A good lesson for all.
> 
> Debbie M. Boyd, HT(ASCP) l Chief Histologist l Southside Regional Medical 
> Center I 
> 200 Medical Park Boulevard l Petersburg, Va.  23805 l T: 804-765-5050 l F: 
> 804-765-5582 l dkboyd <@t> chs.net
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> CHRISTIE GOWAN <christiegowan <@t> msn.com> 
> Sent by: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> 02/26/2010 09:21 AM
> 
> To
> <histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu>
> cc
> 
> Subject
> [Histonet] Fire in the lab
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  
> 
> Dear Histonet Friends,
> 
> I just wanted to share an incident we recently had with an old paraffin 
> pot. One of my techs came in on Sunday to embed some tissues, went into 
> the processor room and smelled something burning. He noticed our old 
> paraffin pot had charred looking labels on the outside so he went over, 
> opened the lid and poof!!! the pot went up in flames. The thermostat had 
> gone haywire and heated the paraffin to flash point. Opening the lid gave 
> it the oxygen it needed to ignite. He triggered the alarm, made the 
> appropriate call and then put it out with an extinguisher. Of course it 
> kept re-igniting because he could not get behind it to pull the plug. The 
> fire dept finally was able to get it pulled out and unplugged. Needless to 
> say the tech was shaken and the room was a mess. I applaud his courage and 
> am not sure I would have done the same. There was enough xylene and 
> alcohol on the 4 processors to cause quite an explosion but everything 
> else was in a flammable cabinet. I was wondering if this type of thing had 
> ever happened to anyone else?? Needless to say, we have de-comissioned all 
> old paraffin pots and will order only those with over temp safety 
> features. I guess I just wanted to remind everyone that fires can happen 
> in the lab and do probably more often than we hear about. This was the 
> first time for me and I have been in this business for over 20 years. Take 
> care and be safe.
> 
> Christie Gowan HT (ASCP)
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