A mishap in a chemistry class prompted Denver police and firefighters to rush to a school Thursday morning.
Denver Fire Lt. Phil Champagne explained that during a junior chemistry-class experiment, there was a “strong chemical reaction” that resulted in vapors and fumes.
Initial reports were of an explosion, and students and staff evacuated the school.
The Denver Fire Department responded with a full hazmat team and several units.
“We wanted to err on the side of caution,” Champagne said. “We realized it was a relatively minor incident.”
Ten students and two teachers were in the room at the time.
Six students were evaluated by paramedics at the scene, treated and released. They all went back to class.
The incident happened just before 9 a.m. at the Denver Waldorf School, 940 Fillmore St. The private school, which has about 290 students in grades pre-K through 12th, is in central Denver, in the Congress Park neighborhood just east of the Denver Botanic Gardens.
The teacher was combining 0.5 grams of sodium hydroxide with water, and it created a chemical reaction. Champagne said it produced a product similar to Drano, which is toxic and corrosive.
Principal Judy Lucas said, “Always, the safety of the kids is the highest priority for the school.”
The teacher had tested the experiment before class, she said, with no problems.
Lucas added: “It was the best experiment.”
Kirk Mitchell: 303-954-1206 or kmitchell@denverpost.com
