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By CHRIS CHMURA / TBO.com and ROSCOE GLISSON / News Channel 8
TAMPA - A University of South Florida graduate student is being treated for burns after a science experiment exploded overnight.
Gerald Rowland, 25, has been taken to Tampa General Hospital.
Although Rowland’s burns cover 11 percent of his body, including his right arm, abdomen, and pelvis, firefighters said his injuries are not life-threatening.
Rowland told firefighters he was heating a chemical mixture when its container broke. The compound made contact with a heat source, causing a flash fire.
Tampa Fire rescue spokesperson Bill Wade says crews responded to the natural and environmental sciences building at 1:41 a.m.
Julio Garay-Jimenez said he had heard an explosion from the room across the hallway. Jimenez said he then helped douse the flames with a fire extinguisher. An automatic sprinkler system eventually put out the fire, Wade said.
Four graduate students were found safe in the parking lot when first responders arrived. Only Rowland was injured.
Once a hazardous materials crew determined the chemicals no longer posed any danger, and told the university the building was safe.
The room had a minimal amount of damage, Wade said.
USF says the natural and environmental sciences building will remain closed until waste water and any other spilled chemicals can be safely removed.
Rowland is expected to be released from Tampa General Hospital.
Actually, we are required to work 80 hours a week as organic chemistry graduate students, so yes, we often work at this hour. And no, overtiredness would not have contributed because we often adopt different schedules than most people have in order to maintain somewhat of a life and still get all of our work done. A lot of students have kids too, so they chose to go in to work once their kids have gone to bed.
Perhaps the kids tired of the old Clinton program Midnight Basketball, and have advanced to chemistry.
1:30 in the morning is actually not unusual. These are not your typical general chemistry students. The grad students that use this building are involved in medical, biological, and pharmaceutical research for their professors. Being at the lab until the wee hours of the morning is not unheard of. These students also have special permission to work until they feel they need to leave.
At 1:30 in the morning? Could overtiredness have contributed to someone’s impaired judgement? When I took chemistry in college, the labs were not accessable at that hour as I recall.
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Posted by Thomas W. Garrett, Tampa on 06/27 at 03:49 PM
Kerriann, 80 hours/week combined with 1:30 in the morning and tirednees is not a factor?? I bet you all go through a lot of Mountian Dew (caffiene)!