White Powdery Substance Identified In Hospital HAZMAT Scare
[gtxvideo vid=”1aTGYiiJ” playlist=”” pid=”Bbt3TRDe” thumb=”http://player.gtxcel.com/thumbs/1aTGYiiJ.jpg” vtitle=”hazmat scare”]
UPDATE: Investigators say the substance in question was dry chemical powder that was discharged from a fire extinguisher.
MATTHEWS, NC — A HAZMAT scare hit a local hospital Thursday afternoon when a woman showed up saying a white powdery substance was burning her skin.
We now know exactly how serious the chemical was.
The patient spoke on camera exclusively with WCCB Charlotte’s Courtney Francisco.
She says the white powder that covered her body could have been very dangerous, even deadly.
“My face started burning,” said Ivy Schmitz. “The skin on my whole entire body felt like fiberglass or something, if you can imagine. Just burning, raw burning.”
Schmitz says she was covered in lye and lime, two chemicals that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention says can severely burn the skin and respiratory tract.
At first, Schmitz didn’t know what was on her. She was simply inspecting a vacant home on Bridle Trail in Indian Trail for a property management company.
“I go to look down, and my pants, I had black pants on. Well, they’re white. Like, solid white,” said Schmitz. “As I start stepping, powder just started shooting up out of the carpet.”
She rushed herself to the nearest hospital, Novant Health in Matthews.
“It was really, really scary driving here. It was the longest 10 minutes of my life,” said Schmitz. “My skin was just blood red, and I have burns on my legs and my breasts, and it’s really hard to breathe.”
inside, Novant Health workers immediately decontaminated Schmitz.
The powder from her clothing touched two employees.
“So we all immediately had to go into full decon,” said Schmitz.
That involved several showers, room changes and clothing changes.
Outside, fire and HAZMAT crews surrounded the hospital.
Officers were unaware of the seriousness of this powder.
More than two hours later, Novant Health announced the powder was nothing that would harm the public.
“That’s probably the scariest thing that’s ever happened to me,” said Schmitz.
Her car seat is covered with plastic until professionals decontaminate it. The house will stay shut until HAZMAT crews clean up.
