CHEMIS
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Associated Press

Teacher, 13 Students Injured in School Science Chemistry Demonstration

Location		Date of Incident
Hyrum, UT, United States		11/2/2000- 9:45 AM
Incident Types	Location Types
- Explosion	Fixed Facility
Evacuations	Injuries	Fatalities
Yes - Number Unknown	13	None
Chemicals Involved
- Methanol
Description or Latest Development
----- Information Added: Friday, November 3, 2000 - 4:50 PM ----- The explosion happened at Hyrum junior high school during a demonstration with methanol yesterday. It sent shards of glass flying with such force that splinters embedded in the wall and the ceiling.  The blast also broke two windows in the rear of the room. Students, seated in pairs at tables on the sides and in front of science teacher Lance Hansen, were hit by flying glass in their arms, shoulders and faces, but there were no eye injuries. "We're very fortunate this wasn't more serious," said Cache County Schools' Deputy Superintendent Chad Downs. Thirteen students and Hansen were taken by ambulance to Logan Regional Hospital with cuts and bruises but no serious injuries.  The 17 others in the class were taken by school bus to the hospital as a precaution and ten were released. Brett Moulding, science education specialist with the state Office of Education, said none of the state's recommended eighth-grade science demonstrations involves methanol.   He is aware such demonstrations are conducted, though usually with plastic containers. Ronald Ragsdale, a chemistry professor at the University of Utah, tells teachers not to use methanol since it can produce poisonous fumes. A student said the class watched Hansen perform the experiment earlier without incident. "We added more gas to make it last longer and make it more exciting," said Bryan Woodward, 14, who had a 3-inch horizontal gas in an ear and another cut on his shoulder. On the web:  http://www.cache.k12.ut.us/htmlfiles/scfc/current.html
Sources (* indicates the original source)		Source Details
Media - Associated Press *		11/03/2000 0439EST