Carbon Monoxide Leak Forces Evacuation

Summary

One thousand employees at the State Farm Insurance headquarters in Dupont were evacuated after higher than normal levels of carbon monoxide were detected; no one injured.

Story Published: Apr 17, 2006 at 7:56 AM PST

Story Updated: Aug 31, 2006 at 1:16 AM PST

Carbon Monoxide Leak Forces Evacuation
DUPONT - The all clear has been given after a thousand State Farm workers were sent scurrying to safety after hazardous materials teams determined the company's Dupont Headquarters had higher than normal levels of carbon monoxide.

It all began around 8 o'clock Monday morning when the problem was discovered, forcing the evacuation of the entire building -- and it's a big one. Fort Lewis and Steilacoom sent over police and fire assistance to help out the Dupont Fire Department in the evacuation.

But the workers at State Farm say they drill constantly for just this sort of emergency. They automatically forward all insurance business to their facilities in Oregon so that customers aren't impacted.

All 1,000 employees were sent home with instructions to check back at 12:30 to see if the problem has been cleared. The fire department then traced the source of the leak to a boiler in the boiler room. It was repaired and the evacuation ended just after 11 a.m.

No one was injured.