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Indiana University HazMat Ends as Chemical Suicide
DANIEL MILLER
WISH
Reprinted with Permission
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Investigators allowed students back into Willkie Residence Hall Tuesday night. Hundreds were evacuated after Bloomington HAZMAT crews found an IU student dead inside his room with a note warning of hazardous gas.
Just after two o’clock Tuesday afternoon, Indiana University Police got a call to the residence hall on a welfare check. After going to the third floor of the building, officers called for HAZMAT crews after detecting a chemical in the air.
"The Bloomington Township HAZMAT team arrived, went upstairs and, with their instruments, indicated there was no hazardous chemical or anything in the air," said IU Police Chief Jerry Minger.
Investigators evacuated students living on the second, third and fourth floors as a precaution. Officers said they attempted to go through one room but it had been sealed from the inside and barricaded.
"When the staff entered through the first door of the room, on the door of the closet there was a sign which said ‘Warning H2S’, which indicates hydrogen sulfide, which is toxic," Chief Minger said. "Our officers went up to do a closer search with the team on the second trip to the room and they found a deceased male, believed to be the student that resided there.”
Investigators said the student was inside the closet. Next to him was a bucket of hydrogen sulfide.
"The bucket was actually open where chemicals had been mixed," said Chief Minger.
Max Weinberg lives on the third floor. Weinberg said he’s surprised by what happened.
"I actually went to an exam this afternoon and came back and they wouldn’t let us up, so I went away for a while," said Weinberg.
Stan Caudle said the entire incident could have been much worse.
"I mean it’s sad that somebody had to take their life over something. We don’t know what it was and it’s just sad to hear that happen. But I mean, especially in a way could harm potentially how many other students that could live in this dorm. It’s kind of scary," said Caudle.
IU police said until an autopsy is performed, they won’t know exactly how student died but they don't suspect foul play at this point.
WISH
Reprinted with Permission
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Investigators allowed students back into Willkie Residence Hall Tuesday night. Hundreds were evacuated after Bloomington HAZMAT crews found an IU student dead inside his room with a note warning of hazardous gas.
"The Bloomington Township HAZMAT team arrived, went upstairs and, with their instruments, indicated there was no hazardous chemical or anything in the air," said IU Police Chief Jerry Minger.
Investigators evacuated students living on the second, third and fourth floors as a precaution. Officers said they attempted to go through one room but it had been sealed from the inside and barricaded.
"When the staff entered through the first door of the room, on the door of the closet there was a sign which said ‘Warning H2S’, which indicates hydrogen sulfide, which is toxic," Chief Minger said. "Our officers went up to do a closer search with the team on the second trip to the room and they found a deceased male, believed to be the student that resided there.”
Investigators said the student was inside the closet. Next to him was a bucket of hydrogen sulfide.
"The bucket was actually open where chemicals had been mixed," said Chief Minger.
Max Weinberg lives on the third floor. Weinberg said he’s surprised by what happened.
"I actually went to an exam this afternoon and came back and they wouldn’t let us up, so I went away for a while," said Weinberg.
Stan Caudle said the entire incident could have been much worse.
"I mean it’s sad that somebody had to take their life over something. We don’t know what it was and it’s just sad to hear that happen. But I mean, especially in a way could harm potentially how many other students that could live in this dorm. It’s kind of scary," said Caudle.
IU police said until an autopsy is performed, they won’t know exactly how student died but they don't suspect foul play at this point.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Wayne Peterson on
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Ya, I agree, we went thru a class on this about 2 months ago, hope it doesn't catch on. What is this world comming to.
As Ralph said "Heads up, stay alive!"
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Permalink Reply by Station10Capt106 on
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Sounds like this could become the flavor of the day. Just another reason we need to maintain our diligence. It's bad enough that someone feels like the only solution is to take their own life, but then to put other innocent bystanders and rescue personel at risk too . . . just makes you shake your head.
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yes, but we all know that alot of people don't read signs as it is. What makes you think that they will stop and pay attention to these signs?
Hopefully at least all rescue workers will have the sense to notice it and read it. Just another reason why training and awareness is so important.
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Permalink Reply by Holli Balazs on
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this a a tragedy and i agree that hopefully this doesnt become a "trend"..i do have to say though that at least the deceased young man had enough sense to put the note on the door letting rescue workers and others know that there was indeed H2S behind the door =/
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Permalink Reply by Just Plain Craig Moyer on
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This is about the third case I've read about this. So far they have all left notes. Two have been on cars.
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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Investigators said the student was inside the closet. Next to him was a bucket of hydrogen sulfide.
A bucket of H2S??? Since H2S is the gas present with decomposition, sewage and has that nice "rotten egg" smell, what was really in the bucket? Hydrogen sulfide is a gas and doesn't come in buckets.
When I was in the Navy, there were three shipyard workers killed while building the USS Harry S Truman (CVN-75). They were down in a lower pumproom replacing a CHT valve (Collection, Holding, and Transfer CHT....also know as sewage) when the second valve to the pier also failed and sewage backfilled into the space. The workers were over come quick and a third, going to check on the other two was overcome by the gas before even reaching the compartment.
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Permalink Reply by James Billings on
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this is so sad, but we can learn a lesson from this , we all need to do a size up on runs like this , like looking for signs or something that is not fitting the call , this so odd My Chief just handed me a copy of the H2s suicide use in Colorado is on the rise, and then I get on here and see it has happened again but even closer to my state, kinda makes you wonder where next?
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