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Suicide by air-bag chemical forces evacuation of South End building
By adamg on Mon, 04/09/2012 - 11:33pm
Firefighters at the scene. Photo by BFD.
Updated 6:10 a.m.
A woman who apparently committed suicide by ingesting sodium azide, a chemical used as an explosive in auto air bags and as a preservative in medical and biology labs, sparked a major incident on Mass. Ave. in the South End last night.
Four police officers and two emergency medical workers who responded to a first-floor apartment at 676 Massachusetts Ave. last night were taken to the nearby Boston Medical Center as a precaution, Brian D'Amico and the Boston Fire Department report. The Fire Department declared a Level 3 hazmat alert, its highest. Firefighters evacuated the apartment building after 11 p.m. as police shut down Mass. Ave. between Washington and Harrison.
The Fire Department reports residents were allowed back in their apartments around 1:45 a.m. after air checks showed the air was safe. The police officers and emergency medical workers turned out to be OK, the department adds.
Last year:
Emergency workers exposed to deadly chemical at Brighton suicide.
Neighborhoods:
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Comments
smell
What is going on there? I just drove by on my way home and smelled something awful while I was in on Mass ave. Tons of ambulances and firetrucks. I hope I wasn't inhaling anything toxic from the "incident"
What sodium azide is
What sodium azide is
Sodium azide is a rapidly acting, potentially deadly chemical that exists as an odorless white solid.
When it is mixed with water or an acid, sodium azide changes rapidly to a toxic gas with a pungent (sharp) odor.
We'll never hear from that commenter again. R.I.P.
property is owned by some blue-bloods
The property, according to the city's online records, is owned by a "trust" for Charles C Dumbaugh, who lives on Acorn Street in Beacon Hill - a $1.5M house.
In fact, the dude and his wife or sister, own a shitload of properties, all owned by trusts in their names:
http://www.cityofboston.gov/assessing/search/?q=DU...
as is the case with all
as is the case with all properties in boston, when have you heard a poor person owning property? glad your post has nothing to do with the story.
Damn rich people - owning
Damn rich people - owning stuff.
All property owners are super-rich?
C'mon now...that's not true. Anyway, what's so terrible about owning property per se?
What's your point?
A person committed suicide, and other residents were/are in danger. I don't care that the property is owned by a trust. There are bigger issues here.
yikes
"adding that the woman died about an hour or two after ingesting the substance. "
Ow. An hour or two of excruciating pain...*shiver*
Ugh, what a horrible way to
Ugh, what a horrible way to go. I work in the area and was wondering what had happened. Just awful.