Labs evacuated after leak

One person was sent to the hospital and dozens were evacuated from Higgins Hall yesterday after a small explosion occurred in a laboratory. Fearing a chemical leak, dozens of police and fire officials responded to the minor explosion, cordoning off a small section of Middle Campus while news cameras and shaken students looked on.

Officials on the scene declined to disclose the full extent of the damage, but Frank Capello, president of the Newton Firefighters Union, said that the small explosion within the building injured only one individual. Students who were evacuated from the building complained of a strong ammonia-like odor after the explosion, and officials on the scene claimed there was a possible chemical leak.

"A graduate student apparently discarded chemicals in a physics lab in Higgins Hall that resulted in a chemical reaction. Boston and Newton Fire Departments responded as per the Higgins Hall [response] protocol," said University Spokesman Jack Dunn.

Both fire departments responded because Higgins Hall straddles the Brighton and Newton city lines. Also, Boston Fire Department has more resources to deal with hazardous materials and other fire safety issues inherent to advanced lab work.

"As a pure precaution, the graduate student was taken to the hospital where he has since been released. There were no injuries and the lab will reopen tomorrow," Dunn said.

There was no physical damage to the building.

The graduate student was an assistant working with physics department chairman Michael Naughton on his research.

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