Spokane, Washington - Old City Hall Evacuated Due to Carbon Monoxide
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Spokane, Washington – Old City Hall Evacuated Due to Carbon Monoxide

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Posted on January 24, 2020

Spokane, Washington (January 23, 2020) – Carbon monoxide was found in the basement of the Old City Hall on the 221 block of North Howard Street on Thursday morning. According to The Spokesman-Review, the building was safely evacuated and no one sustained injuries in the incident. Workers were allowed to return to the building when repairs were made.

According to the article, workers first called 911 just after 6 a.m., reporting an “unknown odor” coming from the basement of the building. Responding crews found extreme levels of carbon monoxide in the basement, and determined that the gas was coming from a defective boiler. In response, firefighters ventilated the building and repaired the boiler. The incident has been determined to be accidental.

About Hazardous Material Incidents

According to Safeopedia.com, hazardous material incidents involve the uncontrolled release of one or more hazardous materials in a location which puts human lives or the environment at risk of damage. Furthermore, the website also defines the term “HAZMAT Incident” as an umbrella term for any incident which involve the release or exposure to biological, chemical and radioactive hazards. Since there is a variety of hazardous materials that can be involved there is no set response to this particular incident. There are three types of hazmat incidents: simple spills, major spills, and emergencies. Simple spills do not spread rapidly and don’t pose an immediate threat to surrounding humans or the environment. Depending on the workplace, these incidents may not require reporting and may be cleaned up by a qualified worker. Major spills and emergencies, on the other hand, are reportable incidents that fulfill one of these conditions: incidents where the hazardous materials spread rapidly, endanger humans or the environment, has caused a person to require medical treatment for either injury or exposure, or involves an individual needing rescue. From this information, it is clear that hazmat incidents can result in lasting injuries and even fatalities. We urge all workplaces that use hazardous materials to run strict safety guidelines. Workplace safety should never be taken for granted in order to prevent damage, not only to human lives, but for the sake of the environment as well.

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