Hazmat crews rush to Boston College after liter bottle of hydrogen sulfide leaks

By adamg on Mon, 10/05/2020 - 1:36pm

Update: 1:40 p.m. A hazmat crew in the building got no hydrogen-sulfide readings; the gas has dissipated through the lab vent system.

Boston firefighters are at Boston College, at the Brighton/Newton line, where a liter bottle of hydrogen sulfide has leaked in Merkert Hall, inside a hood, at least, which might minimize exposure and its rotten-egg smell. Police have been requested to block traffic on Beacon Street.

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Comments

Well...

By NearOakSquare on Mon, 10/05/2020 - 1:46pm.

...that stinks.

UHub first to report

By Brighton Gal on Mon, 10/05/2020 - 1:46pm.

I can hear the helicopters overhead, and searched for what was going on.
UHub before any mainstream!

Thanks!

Quite dangerous

By Tim Mc. on Mon, 10/05/2020 - 3:27pm.

At low levels it just smells terrible, but at moderate levels it also paralyzes the nerves that allow you to smell it, so you don't realize the leak is still there or getting worse. Above that, it can make you stop breathing:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_sulfide#Safety

If you smell it, get away.

Odd trivia

By Bob Leponge on Mon, 10/05/2020 - 10:55pm.

It's actually every bit as toxic as cyanide, but it smells a whole lot stronger (i.e. the concentration of Hydrogen Sulfide that'll kill you is overwhelmingly stinky; the significantly higher concentration of Hydrogen Cyanide that'll kill you is mild smelling), so it's considered less dangerous.