Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
WINONA LAKE – The Winona Lake Fire Department issued a news release this morning regarding the potential chemical exposure Friday evening at the Dr. Dane A. Miller Science Complex on the campus of Grace College & Seminary.
At approximately 6:54 p.m. Friday, the Winona Lake Fire Department was dispatched to a reported hazardous materials situation at the Miller Science Building at Grace College. Lutheran Kosciusko EMS was also dispatched. Winona Lake Fire units were at the scene within 4 minutes and requested a response from Warsaw-Wayne Township Fire Territory and the Elkhart City Fire Dept. Haz-Mat Team.
The hazardous material was described as a deadly gas toxic inhalant from a chemical leak. Due to the probable length of time to stabilize and deal with the situation and investigate it, Plain Township/Leesburg Fire Department was requested to stand by for Warsaw-Wayne Fire at Warsaw Station 1 and Pierceton Fire Department was requested to stand by for Winona Lake Fire at the Winona Lake station. Also requested were Titus fans from Warsaw and Silver Lake.
Preliminary information was that a chemical leak had occurred in a third-floor laboratory earlier in the day and some people who had been in the lab had reported experiencing some symptoms that may have been caused by the toxic chemical. There were 18 people in the lab and they had since left to their homes or dormitories. Grace College administrative personnel contacted them to return, as well as approximately 46 other people who had been in the Science Building at the time of the leak. Groups were separated as they arrived back at the scene according to where they had been in the building and they were checked and monitored by EMS personnel. Grace College provided buses to house the students and staff who had been in the building, while those who were in the lab were monitored in ambulances, the news release states.
Elkhart Fire’s Haz-Mat Team checked the building found no indication of any remaining toxic materials or inhalants. EMS advised they might be transporting one or two individuals to the hospital for evaluation. The last units cleared the scene at approximately 9:22 p.m.
