Lab Explosion Bloodies Two

Two undergraduates were injured in an explosion yesterday afternoon during an organic chemistry lab in the Science Center.

Both students suffered glass lacerations to the face when the accident occurred at 4 p.m., according to Alan K. Long, director of the laboratories of the departments of chemistry and earth and planetary sciences.

Teaching fellows administered first aid to Adam A. Abramson '96 and teaching fellow David Spiegal '95, who were then taken by ambulance to Mt. Auburn Hospital for treatment. Both students were discharged last night.

According to Long, Abramson and Spiegal were examining a distillation of ether when the explosion occured. The students were wearing safety goggles, which prevented more severe injuries.

"I heard a really loud explosion and saw people walking around with blood all over, just dripping of blood," said Chemistry 30 teaching fellow Julia Brumaghim '94. "There were lots of little cuts all over other areas of exposed skin."

According to Brumaghim, a flask and half of a distillation apparatus shattered in the explosion.

"There is speculation that the ether that the students were using converted to peroxide (an explosive material)," said Chemistry Department Head Tutor James E. Davis.

"There is a possibility that they may have used an old solvent. Ethyl ether is something that shouldn't be kept around for a long time," Long said.

"Peroxides can build up in the ether which is explosive," Long added. He said that at this time they are reviewing and examining storage policies.

After the incident all other ethyl ether receptacles were tested and determined safe. The students were instructed to continue the lab experiment without the use of ether.

Some students in the class thought that the explosion was caused by the heat building up within a closed system. One student said the elbow joints connecting the flask to the collecting rod did not provide an outlet to release excess gas.

After the explosion, teaching fellows began collecting these elbow joints and one teaching fellow explained to stu- dents the minute difference between joints withand without outlets, students said.

"I had the exact same setup. I unplugged minewhen it happened and took it apart...I was scaredcause it was right next to my bench," said MichaelI. Schwartz `96. "People were in shock fromhearing the explosion.

"I had the exact same setup. I unplugged minewhen it happened and took it apart...I was scaredcause it was right next to my bench," said MichaelI. Schwartz `96. "People were in shock fromhearing the explosion.