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Peninsula Morgue Evacuated When Body Emits Odor

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Sep 10, 2009 3:50 pm US/Pacific

Peninsula Morgue Evacuated When Body Emits Odor

SAN MATEO (BCN) ― The San Mateo County Morgue was evacuated Thursday after a body undergoing an autopsy began to release a strong chemical odor, a county health system spokeswoman said.

The incident was reported shortly before 11 a.m. at the San Mateo Medical Center at 222 W. 39th Ave in San Mateo, where the county's morgue is located, a fire dispatcher said.

The body was that of a patient who had died at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Redwood City and was transferred to the morgue, San Mateo County Health System spokeswoman Robyn Thaw said.

When the body was opened up, it was discovered that the patient appeared to have ingested acetone, a colorless, flammable liquid, Thaw said.

Three staff members in the morgue were affected by the odor, and the office was evacuated. The three staff members were treated by medical staff at scene and are fine, Thaw said.

No other areas of the medical center were evacuated, Thaw said.

Fire officials were still airing out the morgue as of 1:15 p.m., San Mateo Fire Chief Dan Belville said. Employees were expected to return to work Thursday afternoon, Thaw said.

(© CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Bay City News contributed to this report.)

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