What happened?
On Saturday March 11, 2017 at approximately 7:30 am, a fire was reported in a chemical fume hood located in a laboratory on the 3rd floor of the Frances Coffin Edwards Building in the Stanford School of Medicine. Palo Alto Fire and Rescue arrived on scene within 10 minutes, conducted a hazard assessment before entering the room, and extinguished the fire by 8:45 am. While no injuries occurred, the fire burned through the fiber-reinforced polyester siding of the fume hood and caused significant smoke damage to the third floor. Additionally, water damage occurred to all floors on the north side of the building due to a deionized water line that broke open during the fire. This significant amount of property and building damage resulted in disruption of administrative and research functions.
What was the cause of the incident?
The fire is attributed to an electrical arc that occurred in a damaged hot/stir plate power cord located in a chemical fume hood. It is not clear how the cord became damaged, however the cord may have been pinched or kinked over time.
What went right?
- The smoke detection system detected the fire and notified the Stanford Medical Center Security Office to dispatch security personnel and call 911.
- All individuals evacuated from the building, resulting in no injuries.
- Stanford School of Medicine safety and facilities staff, as well as laboratory personnel, arrived on scene to assist the fire department in conducting a hazard assessment of the specific room involved.
How can incidents like this be prevented?
Self-Inspections
- Be proactive and inspect all electrical cords in the laboratory routinely for frays, kinks, pinch points, and solvent damage to the outer sheath. (See Quarterly Laboratory Self-Inspection item #7).
- If faulty electrical cords are detected during a self-inspection, ensure that the equipment is repaired or replaced.
Laboratory Setup and Use
- Segregate ignition sources (e.g. electrical equipment, laboratory burners) from combustible/flammable materials, as much as reasonably possible.
- Limit chemical storage in fume hoods. Flammable chemicals should be stored in a listed flammable storage cabinet. Up to 10 gallons per control area (NOT per individual lab) may be stored outside of cabinets. Do not store flammable liquid (reagents and waste) in hoods constructed of combustible materials (e.g. fiber-reinforced polyester – check your manufacturer’s website). If fume hoods made of combustible materials are used for laboratory operations, please contact the Stanford University Fire Marshal’s office at 723-0448 for consultation.
If you have questions regarding safe laboratory practices, please contact the EH&S Laboratory Safety Program at 650.723.0448.
