Campus Alert Archive
UM

Spilled Liter of Triethylamine Triggers Third-Floor Evacuation at UM's Chemistry Building and 35-Minute Hazmat Response

MTchemical spilladvisorymedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

At approximately 10:46 AM MDT on Tuesday, September 18, 2018, a lab worker spilled a partially full one-liter bottle of triethylamine in a laboratory on the third floor of the University of Montana's Chemistry Building in Missoula, a flammable chemical capable of causing respiratory irritation. The lab worker immediately opened vents, closed the lab, and alerted UM Risk Management; the third floor was evacuated and Missoula hazmat crews responded. The all-clear came 35 minutes later at 11:21 AM MDT. No one was injured.

Alerts
2
Response
35 min
Killed
—
Injured
—
Institution
University of Montana
Public R2 · MT
~9,800 studentsUM Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTPhone
Approximate reconstruction215 chars
UM Risk Management has been notified of a chemical spill on the third floor of the Chemistry Building. The third floor is being evacuated as a precaution. Missoula hazmat crews are responding. Please avoid the area.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

The lab worker's immediate response -- opening vents, closing the lab, and calling Risk Management rather than attempting to clean up -- reflects proper training; self-evacuation and notification before cleanup is the recommended response for flammable/toxic spills
Triethylamine (TEA) is a tertiary amine widely used in organic chemistry as a base; it has a strong fishy odor, a flash point of 20 degrees F (-7 degrees C), and is immediately dangerous to life and health at 200 ppm
A one-liter spill of triethylamine in an enclosed laboratory can rapidly reach concentrations sufficient to cause respiratory irritation and pose a fire hazard from ignition sources
ALL CLEARPhone+35 min
Approximate reconstruction203 chars
UM Chemistry Building third floor has been cleared by Missoula hazmat crews. The chemical spill has been contained and cleaned up. There were no injuries. Normal operations may resume on the third floor.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

The 35-minute response-to-clearance time (10:46 AM to 11:21 AM MDT) is consistent with a routine contained hazmat response: Missoula hazmat crews arrived, assessed air quality, supervised cleanup, and cleared the floor in under an hour
NBC Montana's KPAX report notes that the chemical was contained immediately and cleaned up by Missoula hazmat, confirming total containment was achieved
Context

Background

The University of Montana's Chemistry Building is a research and teaching facility in Missoula, Montana, serving UM's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. On September 18, 2018, a lab worker in a third-floor laboratory accidentally spilled a partially full one-liter bottle of triethylamine. NBC Montana reported that the worker responded correctly: opening vents, closing the lab door, and immediately notifying UM Risk Management rather than attempting self-cleanup. Risk Management called 911 at 10:46 AM MDT. The third floor was evacuated as a precaution. Missoula hazmat crews responded and cleared the building; KPAX reported the all-clear came at 11:21 AM MDT, 35 minutes after the call. No one was injured. Triethylamine is a flammable tertiary amine with a strong, pungent odor that is common in organic synthesis laboratories as a base and reagent. It has a low flash point and can cause respiratory tract irritation; OSHA lists an immediately-dangerous-to-life-and-health (IDLH) concentration of 200 ppm. A one-liter spill in an enclosed laboratory easily approaches hazardous concentrations. The lab worker's response exemplifies best practice: ventilate, contain, evacuate, notify -- and let trained hazmat professionals handle cleanup.
Analysis

Key Findings

The lab worker's exemplary response -- ventilating, closing the lab, and notifying Risk Management rather than attempting cleanup -- is textbook chemical spill procedure and directly contributed to the no-injuries outcome
The 35-minute total hazmat response time (call to all-clear) at a regional public university relying on municipal Missoula hazmat rather than a campus team demonstrates that small-college hazmat response can be effective when training and notification protocols are followed
Triethylamine spills are a recurring hazard in organic chemistry research; its low flash point and respiratory-irritant properties make even a one-liter spill warrant full hazmat response in a contained laboratory setting
Outcome
No injuries. Third floor of Chemistry Building evacuated. Missoula hazmat crews responded and contained the chemical. All-clear issued at 11:21 AM MDT, 35 minutes after the initial call.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    Missoula hazmat crews respond to UM chemical spill (NBC Montana)
    nbcmontana.com
  2. News
    Chemical spill incident resolved on UM campus (KPAX, September 18, 2018)
    kpax.com
Tags
triethylaminechemical-spillchemistry-buildingthird-floorflammablerespiratory-hazardmissoula-hazmatmontanapublic-r2no-injuries35-minute-response
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion