Student injured in science lab

A "flash" in the chemistry building Monday resulted in the hospitalization of Michael Ingleson, a post-doctoral student, for second degree burns. The flash caused heavy blistering on the skin of the part of Ingleson's arms that was not covered by his gloves and short sleeve shirt, according to IU Police Department reports.\nThe gloves melted to his hands, said IUPD Lt. Jerry Minger. Ingleson also suffered flash burns on the parts of his neck not covered by the collar of his shirt and some burns on the face. \nHe did not suffer any hearing or vision damage.\nPolice cars, ambulances and fire trucks were called to the scene at 9:57 a.m. The incident occurred in Chemistry A230. The building was not evacuated.\n"The hospital told us he was treated and released," Minger said. A spokeswoman at Bloomington Hospital said Ingleson was not in the hospital at 4:40 p.m.\nThe reason for the "flash" was probably an equipment malfunction, but no one was sure exactly what went wrong, said Jack Baker, director of facilities at the IU Chemistry Building. \n"He was working at one of the solvent hoods, where we keep stills of solvents," Baker said. "The solvent probably came out of the hood through a faulty fitting, or partially opened valve; It was an escape of vapor. The air outside of the hood was above the vapor's flash point, so when it hit the air it flashed, and (Ingleson) was in the middle of the flash." \nThe still of the chemical itself was not ignited, Baker said.\nThe chemical that caused the explosion is called pentane, according to IUPD reports. The chemical pentane is considered highly flammable in both its liquid and vapor form according to a Material Safety Data Sheet at www.jtbaker.com. It also warns that the vapor can cause a flash fire. It is a colorless liquid or vapor, with a mild gasoline-like smell.\nAlthough the burns were severe, they were minimized because Ingleson was wearing all of his safety equipment when the incident happened, Baker said.\nThe IU Chemistry department will respond with an investigation into what happened, Baker said.\n"We will be looking at the still to find out if the flash was caused by a fitting or a partially opened valve," Baker said.\nThere was another minor explosion which caused the evacuation of the chemistry building Nov. 11, 1998, according to a Nov. 12, 1998 Indiana Daily Student article.\n-- Contact staff writer Mike Wilson at mhwilson@indiana.edu.