[null and void]

Phosphoric acid is commonly used to demineralize evaporative coolers and humidifiers.

Oxygen and chlorine based bleaches are often used to disinfect systems.

I’m guessing inadequate rinse and purge between cleaning and disinfecting.

The poor guy was probably freezing his butt off and decided to rush it a bit.

[tracer]

Your conjecture is quite plausible....

[michigander]

Chemical condition prompts evacuations in Midtown

Monday, December 17, 2007

Several floors of a midtown Manhattan office building had to be evacuated Monday morning because of a chemical condition.

It happened on the 45th floor of 1211 Avenue of the Americas. Authorities say some 30 gallons of a potentially hazardous chemical are now being examined by emergency officials on the scene.

Scores of people from the 43rd, 44th and 45th floors were evacuated from the high-rise, part of the Rockefeller Center complex, as a precaution. As of noon, there was word of just one minor injury.

The building houses the Fox News Channel and other News Corp. properties, such as the New York Post. Those offices are on lower floors of the building.