VOL.101,NO.8
KANSAS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
TOPEKA KS 66612
THE UNIVERSITY DAI KANSAN
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
WEDNESDAY,SEPTEMBER4,1991
(USPS 650-640)
ADVERTISING:864-4358
NEWS:864-4810
Spill causes evacuation at Hallmark
Lawrence and Douglas County ambulance personnel treat victims of the Hallmark Plant chemical spill.
31 employees hospitalized after exposure to hazardous fumes
By Melissa Rodgers
Kansan staff writer
After a chemical spill, an emergency medical technician washes out a Hallmark employee's eyes.
Thirty-one people were taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital after being exposed to fumes from a chemotherapeutic compound in Halmark plant, 11 McDonald Dr.
More than 40 firefighters, ambulance personnel and paramedics responded to the spill
All 31 Hallmark employees were released after observation, a hospital representative said. Paramedics about 50 more employees at the scene.
Five hundred Hallmark workers were evacuated after fumes began seeping through the building about 10 45 a.m., said John Hastings, plant
On the lawn outside the plant, paramedics treated people with oxygen for mild exposure to the fumes.
The chemical spill came from an overheated vat of solvent mixture in
the ribbon-manufacturing area of the plant on the south side of the building. Hasting said.
The solvent is used to place adhesive on plastic ribbon, he said.
Hasting said the the solvent vat either had a faulty valve or had overheated, causing vapors to escape.
About 20 people had been in the immediate area of the vat, Hasting said. The fumes were more an irritant to employees who were exposed, he said.
"The chemical in the fumes was I]三trichloroethane, which contains chlorine, and anything with chlorine can cause discomfort, burning eyes and can damage the respiratory tract." McSain said.
After shutting off power in the vat area to stop production of the fumes, firefighters evacuated the building, dusted the floor and cleaned up the spill, he said.
Fire Chief Jim McSwaal said Engine Company One was the first to respond about 10:50 a.m. A crew was sent to evaluate the situation.
The fumes were caused by a bv batoling over. McSwan said. A dike around the vat contained the spill, he said.
Four fire companies and the hazardous material unit responded to the spill, he said.
"The biggest danger with a chemical release is through inhalation, said Dua Fikins, Douglas County Ambulance supervisor. "There was no serious exposure, but it was basically a petrochemical, like a cleaning solvent, and it can cause a pneumonia-like condition," he said.
Filkins said that four ambulances, 12 paramedics, four emergency medical technicians and six first responders (emergency personnel in training) from the county ambulance service, the Lawrence police and KU police were called to the scene.
Michelle, who would not give her
last name and worked next to the area where the spill occurred, said she smelled the odor 12 to 15 minutes before the evacuation.
"The smell was strong; it just hit you." she said. "You could see vapor floating around in the air."
Justin Seitz, a worker in the die-cut department on the second floor, said, "I smelled a slight smell, the alarm
went off, and everyone came outside,
and we were told to move away from the
building.
"We were outside about 15 minutes before the fire department came. I think, and so do some other people, that Hallmark tried to take care of the leak first, then called the fire department."
in operation by today's second shift at 5:00 p.m. but we want to be absolutely sure it is safe."
Hasting said, "We hope to be back
Yesterday was the first such spill at the plant, which opened in 1958, Hasting said.
The Hallmark plant, which produces ribbons and greeting-card materials, employs 100 people.
Group defends Fulcher
KU students conduct news conference to discuss battery issue
By Rochelle Olson
Kansan staff writer
About 60 students met yesterday at a news conference to make a statement supporting student body president Darren Fulcher.
Carlos Fleming, Cleveland senior, spoke at the 1.p.m.news conference at Alderson Auditorium in the Kansas Union.
Fleming said that Fulcher had been the victim of political trickery and that he was defending him from a political attack.
"These people aren't defending a women's issue. They are attacking
Fulcher was charged with battering his ex-girlfriend, who is a KU student, during a domestic dispute in February according to Lawrence police reports.
"Darren Fulcher had a calling to help our people and our community," Fleming said. "Darren Fulcher has been a mover, shaker and groundbreaker since he has been on campus."
Reports. Fulcher helped start Black Men of Today, the most progressive organization on campus. Fleming said.
However, Fleming said that striking a woman under any circumstances was not right.
J. R. Clairborne, Coffeyville junior, signs a petition in support of Darren Fulcher.
"I am not here to condone his action," he said. "Darren made a mistake."
Fleming said that Fulcher owed public apologies to his supporters, his constituency, the administration and his ex-girlfriend, Audra Glavas.
-Carlos Fleming, Cleveland Senior, at a news conference in support of Student Body President Darren Fulcher
"I am not here to condone his action. Darren made a mistake.All of our heroes have made mistakes."
But Fleming said he would not turn his back on Fulcher for one mistake.
He cited the womanizing of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., as examples.
James Baucom, Topeka junior, said the group of students called the news conference to express their concerns.
his lack of dedication to the mistake.
"All of our heroes have made mistakes." Fleming said.
Baucom encouraged people to sign a petition supporting Fulcher.
"We are just hoping that we bring to the forefront some of the real issues," Baucom said.
"I don't think you should bring things up from the past to pull him out of office." Chancy said.
Philippe Chancy, New York junior, said he thought Fulcher should stay in office.
"We have all done something we regret and there is nothing we can do after it is done." Chanvc said.
He said that Fulcher could not erase what he had done.
He described Fulcher as a good leader.
"I just feel that Daren Fulcher made a mistake," Sanchez said. "It was wrong. I don't agree with any kind of battery."
"I am going to support him all the way," Chancysaid.
Tonya Sanchez, Brooklyn, N.Y., junior, said she strongly supported Fulcher.
She said, however, that the battery had nothing to do with how he could run the campus.
She also said it was important to consider where the opposition to Fulcher had come from.
She said that Fulcher's name had been dragged through the mud and that only one side of the story had been presented.
"It is a political game the Student Senate is playing." Sanchez said.
he said that Fulcher's personal life did not affect the University and that people should also recognize the good things Fulcher had done.
Mark Riding, Kansas City, Kan. junior. agreed.
"I was frustrated that all of his personal life was dragged out in the open," he said. "I am sure Chan Zeeing said. I am sure Chan does some things in his past."
Usage study will determine future zoning status of Lot 62
Parking department plans to re-evaluate change of half of lot
By Justin Knupp Kansan staff writer
"We are currently conducting an audit of the lot to determine the usage," he said. "However, no forcation decision has been made at this time."
Donald Kearns, parking facility director, said yesterday that a revaluation was in progress for Lot 62 east of the Computer Center.
In the days when the number of student parking spaces continues to dwindle, there is one possible bright spot on the parking horizon.
"After a period of time, I will make a recommendation to the executive vice chancellor as to the future of the lot," he said. "At this time, I am not sure how long the surprise may be or when a decision will be made."
Kearns said that until a decision was made, the lot would remain zoned as a red lot, which is designated for faculty and staff use. But parking officials will issue tickets leniently
Kearns said that the audit involved making daily usage counts to determine how often the lot is used and by what types of drivers.
Kearns said that the closing of one of the temporary red parking lots was one reason for the rezoning of half of Lot 62.
entire Lot 62 was zoned as a yellow lot until this year when half of the lot was rezoned into a red lot.
*We lost about 84 spaces when Student Senate petitioned to close the temporary lot between the computer center and Robinson Gymnasium," he said. "The decision was made at that time to take half of Lot 62 for red spaces."
6
"At this time, if the ticket is their first and if they have a yellow sticker, we have been cancelling the tickets in that lot. It is kind of a warning, and we will not make a habit of it."
-Donna Hultine, assistant director of the parking department
Donna Hultine, assistant director of the parking department, said the changes were made in mid-July.
"At the time we made the changes, we started monitoring the lot," she said. "There are several questions to the lot that we will examine."
The possibilities include turning Lot 62 into a yellow lot, making the lot a shared red/yellow lot and eventually building new parking facilities next to the Dole Human Development Center in the future.
In the mean time, Hultine said,
students who received tickets in the
let should bring them by the parking
department.
Hutline said that during permit sales, students had commented on the change.
"At this time, if the ticket is their first and if they have a yellow sticker, we have been canceling the tickets in that lot," she said. "It is kind of a warning, and we will not make a habit of it."
"Most are just curious about the change," she said. "But some are asking why it was taken away."
"I'm kind of mad about this," he said. "You pay $50 for a yellow sticker and you can't park anywhere before 9:30 in the morning."
One student who is curious about the rezoning is Chris Barrick, Overland Park senior. Barrick frequently parks in Lot 62 and said he thought some type of solution needed to be found.
One solution Barrick supports is the creation of more parking areas.
"The area next to the computer center seems to me would be a great place to build a split-level parking area. There are several other possibilities."
"One would be to let students with yellow stickers park in the upper levels of the parking garage during the day for free."
Regardless of the outcome of Lot 62, Barrick said he felt the University should do something to increase student parking.
"With all the money they take in from permit sales," he said, "I would think they could afford to do something to help the students."