Four students injured in Schweitzer Hall explosion

One student was admitted into University Hospital but is in good condition.

By Nicole Garner and Travis Cornejo

Published June 28, 2010

Hydrogen gas in a 2,000-pound cylinder exploded at Schweitzer Hall at around 2:20 p.m Monday, injuring four students, one critically. The Columbia Police Department blocked off traffic southbound on College Avenue and on University Avenue.

One of the four students injured was admitted into University Hospital. Although Columbia Fire Department Capt. Eric Hartman said this student suffered life-threatening injuries, MU spokeswoman Mary Jo Banken said the student is in good condition.

"One of the injuries was life-threatening, one is asthma-related and the other two injuries were related to burn and shrapnel," Columbia Fire Department Capt. Eric Hartman said. "17 windows were blown out on the northwest side of the building, but there's no sign of structural damage.

Although the four researchers injured were originally believed to have been faculty, Hartman confirmed around 4:30 p.m. that all four were students.

"One had critical injuries, two had moderate injuries and one sustained minor injuries," he said. "Two are post-doctorate, one is a graduate student and the other's status is unknown."

Hartman said he does not know which injuries correspond with which students.

"I do know that one of the students has been transported to University Hospital's intensive care unit with what's being described as impact injuries and burns to their chest," he said. "I don't have anything other than that."

He also said researchers in the building were working on a project to grow bacteria in a hydrogen-rich environment.

A news release from the MU News Bureau stated the blast appeared to be the result of an accident in Schweitzer Hall, which houses MU's biochemistry department.

"The explosion, which is still being investigated, is believed to have been caused by a spontaneous combustion of gases including hydrogen and nitrogen that were being used in a research experiment," the news release stated.

MU spokesman Christian Basi said MU will not have a cost estimate for the damage to the building until tomorrow.

"I know right now that the very first steps of the clean-up is to catalog what was damaged, find out if there's any specific precautions they have to take in the clean-up and then begin the clean-up," Basi said. "We want to have these areas open as soon as possible."

Basi said no classes are held in Schweitzer Hall during the summer session.

"There are only two labs being affected — the lab where the accident happened and the lab beneath it," Basi said. "They were able to shut off power to the lab where it occurred and shut off natural gas to the entire building."

Hartman said glass from the laboratory windows was blown as far as 40 feet away from the building.

"There's significant damage inside the lab, but there is not structural damage, so there's no danger of collapse," Hartman said. "Most of the exterior clean-up will be done tonight, but you're looking at days for the interior clean-up."