Fumes From Rotting Food in Office Fridge Send 7 to Hospital

Fox ^ | May 12, 2009

[RDTF]

An office worker cleaning a fridge full of rotten food created a smell so noxious that it sent seven co-workers to the hospital and made many others ill. Firefighters had to evacuate the AT&T building in downtown San Jose on Tuesday, after the flagrant fumes prompted someone to call 911. A hazmat team was called in.

-snip-

Authorities said the worker who cleaned the fridge didn't need treatment — she can't smell because of allergies

[thecodont]

The AP story (original link) said the cleaning lady wasn't affected because she couldn't smell. The San Francisco Chronicle article (local journalist, not AP) said:

The woman, who was suffering from a sinus problem and couldn't smell the chemical, then used a second solution, Stallard said. The two chemicals interacted in the air, adding to an already pungent odor caused by the rotten food.

So it seems from the SF Chron article that the woman (who couldn't smell the chemicals and very probably could not read any warnings on their respective labels), mixed them because her nose wasn't able to warn her. I think she was probably physically affected too (unless she quickly left the area); I don't trust the accuracy of the AP article.

[martin_fierro]

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[Daffynition]

There must have been a sign.......

[Kitsunebi]

> after the flagrant fumes prompted someone to call 911.

I always approve of appropriate alliteration, but this time the mind boggles...

Trust me, to call in a hazmat team for a foul fridge isn't so unusual since it appears that you've never had the misfortune opening a bathroom door at your workplace after one or more people had mexican for lunch. :^)

[ßuddaßudd]

Savages,,, all of 'em....╨

[carenot]

A freezer full of frozen turkeys shouldn’t have thawed out all the way, much less have been ruined in just three days.

[JoeDetweiler]

Yeah, I think it took us a couple of days to find it, plus that fridge sits in the middle of a room full of accelerated weathering machines, which means a lot of heat and humidity.........