Thank you for this, Elizabeth.

I was looking for some historical data on lab incidents for my project !

Cannot believe this happened   just in the  past month .

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From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU> on behalf of Elizabeth Braun <elizabeth**At_Symbol_Here**LABSAFETYINSTITUTE.ORG>
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2026 2:40 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Science Safety News Summary for January 25- February 14

 

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Science Safety incidents for the past few weeks:

University of Maine Student Dies in Gas Incident at Woodland Pulp Mill

• Date of Incident: January 27, 2026

• Location: Baileyville, Maine

• Synopsis: Kasie Malcolm, a 20-year-old junior chemical engineering student at the University of Maine, died following a chemical release at the Woodland Pulp mill where he was working as an intern. The incident occurred in the facility's bleach plant and reportedly involved the mixing of concentrated sulfuric acid with sulfurous compounds, which generated toxic hydrogen sulfide gas. While Malcolm passed away from his injuries, nine other workers were injured, two of them seriously. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) and OSHA have launched investigations into the mill's safety protocols and chemical handling practices.

• URL: https://www.wabi.tv/2026/01/28/university-maine-student-dies-gas-incident-woodland-pulp-mill/

FBI and Las Vegas Police Raid Uncovers Bio-Materials Linked to Reedley Biolab

• Date of Incident: January 31 – February 2, 2026

• Location: Las Vegas, Nevada

• Synopsis: A joint operation between the FBI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department resulted in the raid of two homes connected to Jia Bei Zhu, the operator of an illegal biolab discovered in Reedley, California, in 2023. Investigators utilized robots and drones to safely enter a locked garage, where they discovered a "significant volume" of biological testing equipment and vials of unknown liquids stored in refrigerators and freezers. Ori Solomon, the property manager, was arrested on charges of improperly handling and disposing of hazardous waste. The materials have been transported to an FBI laboratory for testing to determine if they contain dangerous pathogens similar to those found in the previous California investigation.

• URL: https://gvwire.com/2026/02/02/fbi-las-vegas-pd-raid-uncovers-bio-materials-connected-to-reedley-biolab-owner/

Emergency Crews Respond to Chemical Spill at Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center

• Date of Incident: February 3, 2026

• Location: West Burlington, Iowa

• Synopsis: Emergency teams were called to the Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center following a formaldehyde spill in the hospital's surgery department. The spill occurred around 8:45 a.m. and was contained to a single operating room, which was subsequently closed for neutralization and cleaning. While no patients were exposed to the chemical, one employee suffered exposure and received immediate treatment in the emergency department. The West Burlington Fire Department and local Hazmat teams assisted in the mitigation efforts, and the hospital has since returned to normal operations.

• URL: https://www.mississippivalleypublishing.com/daily_gate/emergency-crews-respond-to-chemical-spill-at-southeast-iowa-regional-medical-center/article_d1457149-510f-4897-8f3d-bc598a3f8556.html

Congress Rescues Industry Watchdog Earmarked for Closure by Trump Administration

• Date of Incident: January – February 2026 (Appropriations Period)

• Location: Washington, D.C.

• Synopsis: The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB), an independent federal agency tasked with investigating industrial chemical accidents, has secured a reprieve after being targeted for elimination in the Trump administration’s FY 2026 budget. While the administration argued the agency’s work was duplicative of OSHA and the EPA, a bipartisan coalition in Congress moved to restore funding, citing the board's unique role in identifying the root causes of disasters without issuing fines. Recent fatal incidents, including the January 2026 Maine pulp mill leak, have underscored the agency's current workload, with leadership emphasizing that their safety recommendations save the industry millions by preventing future catastrophic failures.

• URL: https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/congress-rescues-industry-watchdog-earmarked-for-closure-by-trump-administration/4022869.article

Mother of Three Named Among Victims in Deadly Ashdod Refinery Lab Incident

• Date: February 11, 2026
• Location: Ashdod Oil Refinery, Israel
• Synopsis: Two laboratory employees, including 39-year-old chemical engineer Nitzan Goichman, died after collapsing at the Ashdod Oil Refinery on Wednesday morning. Emergency responders ruled out a hazardous materials leak, and investigators are currently probing whether the deaths were caused by oxygen deprivation resulting from a malfunction in the women's sealed protective suits. While police are considering all lines of inquiry, including potential criminal negligence, there is currently no evidence of a security-related incident. This tragedy follows a recent fine levied against the refinery for air pollution violations and occurs amidst an ongoing labor dispute.
• URL: https://www.ynetnews.com/article/sy8000n9pzl

Elizabeth Braun, Ph.D.

Director of Educational Content and Learning / LSI Instructor

The Laboratory Safety Institute (LSI)

Contact me: elizabeth**At_Symbol_Here**labsafety.org | LinkedIn | Book a call

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