- Chemical Health & Environmental Management Information System -
The Bakersfield Californian
Chemistry class in good spirits
Filed: September 1, 1999
By
KERRY CAVANAUGH
Californian staff writer
Students from the East Bakersfield High School chemistry class involved in Tuesday morning’s explosion were back at school Wednesday, in good spirits and humor over the accident, said Principal John Gibson.
Teacher John McCormick took the day off at the suggestion of school administrations who said he needed to rest his hand, which required stitches.
“It was a regular class, aside from a few nicks and scratches,” Gibson said.
The morning class was welcomed back with doughnuts provided by the student association.
Administrators visited the class to handle any questions or concerns, but there were few, Gibson said.
The explosion on Tuesday occurred during a demonstration by McCormick. A match was dropped into a water-cooler bottle made of glass containing a small amount of methanol.
Normally, the methanol vapors would flare up through the neck of the bottle, producing a flame and a loud thud. But for some reason, the bottle shattered, sending shards of glass through the classroom.
Immediately, McCormick went to the back of the classroom to push the red emergency button. Security guards who were near the classroom began escorting students to the nurse’s office, Gibson said.
The uninjured students were quickly moved out of the classroom by security and taken to the teacher’s lounge.
McCormick and the last few injured students also went to the nurse’s office in the basement.
Twenty-two students went to Bakersfield hospitals to be treated, Gibson said.
All of the injuries were minor, and only three students required stitches.
The accident is being investigated by the Kern High School District and the school’s insurance carrier, Self Insured Schools of California.
Copyright© 1999, The Bakersfield Californian