Local News in Brief : Mission Viejo : Chemical Spill Causes Hospital Evacuation
Medical technicians and patients were evacuated from the radiology department at Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center when a gallon of X-ray chemicals was spilled Wednesday, authorities said.
About 20 people left the hospital wing while firefighters contained the 12:30 p.m. spill and identified the chemical as a photographic fixer that posed no public health threat, County Fire Department spokeswoman Patti Range said.
“The toxicity is mild,” Range said, but added that if swallowed, the chemical could cause mild irritation to the throat and eyes.
A special hazardous materials team and 20 firefighters working with large fans completed their cleanup at 3:30 p.m., Range said. Hospital crews later finished the job.
“The reason we evacuated the radiology room was to isolate the immediate area and identify the exact material,” Range said.
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