1 injured in chemical explosion at UMD

One person was injured in a chemical explosion at the University of Minnesota: Duluth around 10 a.m. Thursday, KSTP’s Duluth-based sister station WDIO reports.

Voss Kovach Hall and two neighboring buildings were evacuated after the explosion. WDIO reports the University’s environmental and safety teams, and Duluth Fire Department’s Hazmat teams are doing on-site cleanup.

A graduate student who was working in the lab at the time of the explosion sustained minor injuries.

According to WDIO, UMD sent out a statement on Thursday morning saying, “This was a minor incident with minor injuries and damage.” Campus officials say there were minimal impacts to the building and the evacuation was done out of an abundance of caution.

The lab is expected to reopen later Thursday.