Hazmat Crews Respond To VA Medical Center

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Hazmat crews responded to the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis Friday morning after a puddle of a chlorine and sodium solution was discovered in a mechanical room in the building's basement.

Authorities at the medical center said that no one was hurt in the incident, however 60 workers were evacuated after the fire alarm was activated by the person who discovered the spill.

No patients were among those evacuated.

Hazmat crews from St. Paul were on the scene to check the air quality with a vapor monitor. The VA's own maintenance crew cleaned up the spill, which was less than a liter of solution.

The solution is used by the medical center to both protect pipes from corrosion and to cool water for the building's air conditioning system.