Vaporous mix of chemicals hospitalizes 7

INDIAN ISLAND – A chemical reaction between liquid dish detergent and a cooking pot sent seven people to the hospital Monday and caused the evacuation of a health center.

A cook at the Ruth Attean Health Center, also known as the Indian Island Health Center, suffered a chemical burn to her leg after placing a leaking five-gallon container of dish detergent into a cooking pot, according to fire officials.

The potassium hydroxide in the detergent reacted with the aluminum in the pot, bubbling over and producing harmful vapors, Lt. Matt Redding of the Old Town Fire Department said Monday. Four other people suffered inhalation injuries and two emergency medical services personnel were hospitalized after breathing in fumes from patients’ clothing, he said. All seven were sent to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, Redding said.

Crews in hazardous materials suits – which became uncomfortably hot in Monday’s heat – neutralized the chemicals and cleaned up the scene, he said.

Emergency responders were called at 11:30 a.m. and evacuated approximately 50 people from the building, Indian Island Fire Lt. Joey Loring said Monday. The facility houses a food pantry, kitchen, day care, counseling center and medical clinic, he said.

A doctor performing facial surgery on the opposite end of the building was forced to stitch up the wound and evacuate with the patient, Loring said.

The cook remained in the hospital early Monday evening and four others had been treated and then released, he said.

The other two EMS personnel, an Orono firefighter and a member of the Down East Emergency Medicine Institute of Bangor, also were treated and released Monday, according to the Orono Fire Department.

Clean Harbors Inc., a Massachusetts-based environmental services company, was contacted to dispose of the hazardous materials, fire officials said.

The food in the pantry, used to provide lunches for senior citizens, will be checked for contamination, Loring said.

“They may have to end up replacing all that food that was in there,” he said.

Emergency crews from Indian Island, Old Town, Orono and Milford responded, finally clearing the scene just before 3 p.m., Redding said.