A man was hospitalised after accidentally spilling two litres of nitric acid in a storage room at Brussels' French-speaking Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) on Monday.
Firefighters and an ambulance were called to a building on the ULB university campus at around 16:00 following reports that a person had spilt two litres of the highly corrosive mineral acid within a storage room, Brussels fire brigade's spokesperson Walter Derieuw said.
"The paramedics undressed the unfortunate man and rinsed him thoroughly before evacuating him with minor burns on his legs to hospital," a statement from Derieuw read.
The specialist HAZMAT (Hazardous Materials) team. Credit: Brussels Fire Brigade
The entire building, located on Avenue Paul Héger, was evacuated and a specialist HAZMAT (Hazardous Materials) team was dispatched to the building to "absorb and neutralise the acid."
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"The acid was recovered and stored in suitable containers in a secure location, awaiting removal by a company specialising in the treatment of hazardous materials," Derieuw added.
As of 18:00, emergency crews were still on site. The clean-up continued late into the evening.
