Suspected Benzene Fumes Cause Evacuation of Visalia Medical Building

By William Murphy

Published on December 08, 2006

At approximately 7 a.m., building employees noticed a distinct chemical odor in the Multiservice Center building, which houses a clinic for special needs patients among other health care related facilities. The employees quickly called in the fire department's hazardous materials team. Investigators with the team determined that fumes rising from a sewer vent pipe had been sucked into building's heating system.

The Multiservice Center was evacuated until the fumes could dissipate. Officials said the building would reopen after testing determines that air throughout the building is safe.

Benzene is a carcinogen linked to leukemia. Breathing high levels of benzene fumes can be deadly. Benzene fumes breathed in lesser amounts can cause headaches, dizziness, tremors, and unconsciousness.

Benzene is used as a gasoline additive and for industrial purposes. Large manufacturers and small businesses such as painting companies and automobile repair shops use benzene-containing solvents in a variety of applications. Visalia authorities suspect employees of a company circumvented prescribed disposal methods and illegally dumped benzene-containing waste directly into the sewer system.

Comment on this article →