A chemical fire erupted in the Engineering and Computer Sciences Building of Cal State Long Beach on Feb. 27, resulting in one injury and an evacuation.
Heflin said the call was received at approximately 1:23pm.
Firefighters identified chemicals— lithium hydroxide and lithium in a solid state— inside of an unknown container. He said it is not clear as to why those chemicals were in the classroom, but he believes it was part of a school project or experiment.
“There was a reaction and a subsequent fire,” Heflin said. Firefighters extinguished the fire at 1:50pm. The fire did not spread from inside the classroom where it started, however. Heflin said the room suffered from smoke damage and the sprinkler system was activated.
All students and staff evacuated the ECS Building were accounted for, according to Heflin. There was one patient that was treated and transported to a local hospital. CSULB sent an emergency email that confirmed the injured person is an employee.
The LBFD’s hazardous-material unit assessed the environment, the atmosphere, the product of the fire and provided decontamination support, according to Heflin.
The email said all classes held in engineering buildings were cancelled for the remainder of that day. This included buildings labeled Engineering 2, Engineering 3, Engineering 4, ECS and the Vivian Engineering Center. Only the ECS building remains physically closed.
Heflin said investigations on the fire are still ongoing, and he is not sure when the ECS building will reopen.
Students or staff who need to retrieve personal property from the ECS building should contact University Police at (562) 985-4101 for an escort.
UPDATE (March 1, 2018: 4:58pm): This story has been updated with new information and a photo published in the March 2 issue of the Signal Tribune newspaper.
