WASHINGTON (WUSA) -- Dick Thompson, Director of Public Affairs with the Naval Research Lab says that at about 7:20 a.m., Monday, a possible hazardous chemical spill was found at the Center for Biomolecular Science and Engineering, which is a laboratory on the grounds of the Naval Research Laboratory in Southeast DC.
Thompson said the Naval District of Washington Police and fire departments were alerted that a container with an unidentified liquid in a refrigeration unit had started leaking and some of the chemical that was in the refrigeration unit had started to pool on the floor.
The building was safely evacuated, Thompson says, and two employees were transported to George Washington University Hospital as a precaution after they started complaining of minor respiratory irritation.
A safety perimeter has established around the building while hazardous chemical crews continue to work to identify the substance so that it can be properly neutralized and disposed.