The Daily Herald has an article about a chemical release at Northwest Central Dispatch.
Seven Northwest Central Dispatch System employees in Arlington Heights were taken to a hospital Saturday after a nontoxic gas was sprayed into the room where they were working, authorities said. An electrical malfunction set off the fire suppression system that released the gas at about 3:30 p.m. in the dispatch headquarters at 1975 E. Davis St. in Arlington Heights, said Arlington Heights Fire Battalion Chief Bill Essling. Renovations are underway in the building, and work on Saturday apparently caused a spark but not a fire, he said.
“When contractors reconnected something, it created a spark and a short and subsequently set off the fire extinguishment system in the computer room,” Essling said.
The system sprays a nontoxic gas that won’t harm computer equipment, and it usually gives a warning before the gas is dispersed because it creates a white fog that is an irritant when inhaled, Essling said. Because of the electrical short, there was no warning, and employees didn’t get the chance to leave the room.
While Arlington Heights firefighters were responding to the scene at the main dispatch center, Essling said calls were handled by personnel at a sister station in Schaumburg.
“No 911 calls were missed or dropped, and no dispatches were delayed,” Essling said. “Everything worked the way it was supposed to.”?
thanks Drew
