Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

South High (Fargo, ND) in lockdown for mercury spill; no injuries reported
The Forum ^ | September 06, 2007 | Helmut Schmidt

Posted on 09/06/2007 5:11:22 PM PDT by Last Dakotan

A mercury spill on the south side of Fargo’s South High School put the school into a lockdown for more than an hour this afternoon.

A thermometer was broken in a medical careers class and some mercury was released, said Superintendent Rick Buresh, who was at the scene. He said it didn’t appear anyone was injured.

However, a teacher and two students were kept for decontamination, Fargo Fire Capt. Gary Lorenz said.

(Excerpt) Read more at in-forum.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: North Dakota
KEYWORDS: chemicals; education
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-8081 next last
Then vs. now story. When I was in HS we'd play with mercury on the lab tables.

Wonder what the decontamination procedure performed on the teacher and students was - firehose?

1 posted on 09/06/2007 5:11:25 PM PDT by Last Dakotan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Last Dakotan

No kidding. Just get a couple pennies and pick up the mercury. Sheesh!


2 posted on 09/06/2007 5:14:10 PM PDT by FoxInSocks
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Last Dakotan

why isn’t everyone over 40 dead yet?


3 posted on 09/06/2007 5:14:39 PM PDT by xcamel (FDT/2008 -- talk about it >> irc://irc.freenode.net/fredthompson)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #4 Removed by Moderator

To: Last Dakotan
"When I was in HS we'd play with mercury on the lab tables."

Absolutely! I remember Mr. Kimball showing us how cool it was to roll it across the table. He didn't let us touch it bare handed or anything, but there certainly was no hysteria surrounding it.

5 posted on 09/06/2007 5:15:20 PM PDT by Pablo64 (National Alpaca Farm Day is 9-29-07. Visit an alpaca farm near you!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Last Dakotan
The politics of Hysteria.

There is more mercury in a can of tuna than in a thermometer.

6 posted on 09/06/2007 5:16:02 PM PDT by P-Marlowe (LPFOKETT GAHCOEEP-w/o*)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FoxInSocks

No wonder America’s students are failing...there lead by idiots!


7 posted on 09/06/2007 5:16:04 PM PDT by Issaquahking (Duncan Hunter for President!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Last Dakotan

Do they close the restrooms because someone forgot to flush?


8 posted on 09/06/2007 5:16:53 PM PDT by MaxMax (God Bless America)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Last Dakotan

Does anyone remember when we used to play with mercury in high school? You’d get some mercury, spill in on a table, push the little balls of mercury around with your finger, dip your dimes into the mercury to get them all shiny, and NONE OF US GOT SICK OR HAD TO HAVE HAS/MAT COME IN WITH SPACE SUITS TO SWEEP IT UP. What, are we nuts?

I’m normal as they come. I may do funny things to small animals with dinner forks, but I’m quite normal.


9 posted on 09/06/2007 5:17:26 PM PDT by laweeks
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Last Dakotan

Oh for Pete’s sake.

That stuff is FUN to play with!!!!


10 posted on 09/06/2007 5:17:29 PM PDT by Brad’s Gramma (Mother of the Bride here, treat me with respect for once, will ya? ;))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pablo64

I was supposed to wear gloves?!!!! AW CRAP! Now I am going to die when I am 95 instead of 97!


11 posted on 09/06/2007 5:18:10 PM PDT by Normal4me
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Last Dakotan

This is ridiculous. Elemental mercury poses no risk to health.


12 posted on 09/06/2007 5:18:57 PM PDT by johniegrad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Issaquahking
No wonder America’s students are failing...there lead by idiots!

Uh, don't be casting that first stone, smart guy.

13 posted on 09/06/2007 5:19:12 PM PDT by Rudder
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Issaquahking
...there lead by idiots!

School teacher? :)

14 posted on 09/06/2007 5:19:23 PM PDT by elli1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Issaquahking
...there lead by idiots!

School teacher? :)

15 posted on 09/06/2007 5:19:31 PM PDT by elli1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Last Dakotan

***Then vs. now story. When I was in HS we’d play with mercury on the lab tables.***

We used to make real silver coins (remember them?) shine with Mercury. Had lots of fun with it. Some kids even touched their tongue to it to see if it had flavor. And of course some of it was spilled on the floor. Each family had a Mercury thermometer to check for fevers. some were broken at home and we played with the mercury there also.

Quite a lot of Mercury was used and spilled in the Glycol reboilers (dryers) in the Natural gas fields also.


16 posted on 09/06/2007 5:20:03 PM PDT by Ruy Dias de Bivar (Ever see WILLIS SHAW backwards in your rear view mirror? I have!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rudder

a ‘lead’ stone?


17 posted on 09/06/2007 5:20:35 PM PDT by invoman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Pablo64
I remember when they used to sell little pocket mazes with a drop of mercury in them.

Nobody died.

18 posted on 09/06/2007 5:20:43 PM PDT by P-Marlowe (LPFOKETT GAHCOEEP-w/o*)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Last Dakotan

A thermometer was broken


Glad the FD was able to contain this ecological disaster and save the lives of the contaminated victims.


19 posted on 09/06/2007 5:20:47 PM PDT by crazyhorse691 (The faithful will keep their heads down, their powder dry and hammer at the enemies flanks.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Last Dakotan

What a bunch of morons.

This almost happened in one of my college chemistry classes, however I put a towel over the drain and used a pipette to suck up the spilled mercury.

The grad assistant acted like I should have been arrested!


20 posted on 09/06/2007 5:21:38 PM PDT by Eagle Eye (If you agree with Democrats you agree with America's enemies.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-8081 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson