Update: After evacuation, Engineering Center will reopen at three

Students have been evacuated from the Engineering Center after a chemical spill occurred in the building Tuesday morning.

Ryan Huff, communications manager for the CU Police Department, said four students were packing up materials in a lab in the Center’s chemical wing when they accidentally dropped a glass container of acryloyl chloride.

CU Boulder officials responding to a chemical spill at the Engineering Center midday on Tuesday. (CU Independent/James Bradbury)

The chemical is dangerous to come into contact with, and Huff said it is comparable to hydrochloric acid. When the spill occurred at 11:04 a.m., the students pulled the fire alarm and left the building immediately.

“They were evaluated by medical personnel, and they were fine,” Huff said. “There has been one injury, to a woman who stayed in the basement of the building and was not aware of the evacuation.”

The woman, who Huff confirmed is a CU student, was taken to Boulder Community Hospital after complaining of a headache. Nothing is known about her condition at this time.

Engineering students have reported that their classes were cancelled for the day and the area was closed off with caution tape, bustling with fire trucks and ambulances.

Huff said that the building will remain closed until 3 p.m. at the earliest.

“Right now we have the Boulder County Hazardous Materials team at the scene,” he said.

CUPD is asking students and faculty with critical experiments to come to the Police Department lobby across the street from the Engineering Center, where their needs will be evaluated for access to the building.

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Check back with the CU Independent for updates.

Contact CU Independent Breaking News Editors Nora Keating at [email protected] and Annie Melton at [email protected]