Floral Park pediatrician's office evacuated after mercury spill
People stand outside a Floral Park pediatrician's office Tuesday after a mercury spill led to the building's evacuation, fire department officials said. Credit: Peter Gerber
A Floral Park pediatrician's office was evacuated after a mercury spill Tuesday, authorities said.
In a news release, Michael Mennella, commanding officer of the Nassau County Fire Marshal's Hazardous Materials Response Division, said the spill occurred about 3 p.m. at 271 Jericho Turnpike after an employee of the office dropped a blood pressure machine down the stairs and it broke open.
Floral Park firefighters evacuated the office and called in the Hazmat team, Chief Eric O'Connor said in a phone interview.
"Anytime there’s a chemical spill or anything like that, we have to take precautionary measures," said O’Connor. "The main thing is to make sure all the occupants of the building (are accounted for) and evacuate them safely. In this instance, thank God, everybody was all right."
Hazmat team members confined the spill but directed office staff to hire an environmental contractor for cleanup, according to the news release. As of 7 p.m., team members were still at the scene.
Mercury is sometimes used in medical devices, but it is highly toxic and if not immediately contained can evaporate, becoming an invisible, odorless vapor.
Nicholas Spangler is a general assignment reporter and has worked at Newsday since 2010.
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