Workers Evacuated from NASA Goddard Building

A building at the NASA Goodard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt has been evacuated after toxic nitric acid reacted with water, authorities say.

The Prince George’s Fire Department, EMS staff and Hazmat crews were called to Building 11 at the facility just before 2 p.m.

Fire Department spokesman Mark Brady said live via Periscope that “a very small amount” of the acid was involved. No injuries were reported.

“As a pure precaution we are setting up full hazmat contamination,” he said.
Hazmat crews may help decontaminate the area.

According to Britannica.com, nitric acid is a colorless and highly corrosive liquid commonly used to make fertilizers and explosives, and is a common laboratory reagent. The acid can cause severe burns.

»Photos from scene courtesy of Mark Brady, PGFD spokesman, via Twitter