Man Sent to Burn Ward After Chemical Mishap

On Monday a man from the 8200 block of Waterford Road was taken to the burn unit at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore after apparently mixing a drain cleaner and a chemical containing bleach. This created a toxic vapor cloud and strong chemical odor. Forty-six fire department personnel were on the scene for about an hour to clear the area of any residual chemicals.

The American Association of Poison Control Centers says that mixing household and chemical products together could result in poisonous gas and should be avoided. It adds that one should turn on fans and open windows when using household and chemical products along with wearing protective clothing like long-sleeved shirts, long pants and gloves.

"Usually we don't recommend any sort of mixing household chemical products," said Samantha Lee, Clinical Toxicology Fellow with the Maryland Poison Center. "Doing that can lead to the formation of vapors which can cause a lot of irritation to the skin and airways."