Woburn Red Robin Reopened, At Least One Released From Hospital

WOBURN, MA — The Woburn Red Robin was reopened Wednesday, after the state hazardous materials team and the city health board cleared the building. The restaurant was evacuated Tuesday night when a cleaning team accidentally mixed two pails of cleaning agents in the kitchen area, creating a reaction. Three employees were hospitalized as a precaution, officials said.

Woburn Fire Chief Stephen Adgate said Wednesday morning that at least one of the three employees was released from the hospital Tuesday evening, and he believed the other three were also released. None of them were showing any symptoms of poisoning when the fire department recommended they go to the hospital.

By the time the fire department was on the scene, everyone had already evacuated the restaurant. Adgate said that his department responded seriously in light of the recent incident in Burlington. Two weeks ago, a worker at a Burlington Buffalo Wild Wings was killed in a chemical accident caused by a mixture of cleaning agents.

Red Robin said in a statement, "Immediately after the reaction occurred, the restaurant’s manager on duty evacuated all Team Members and Guests from the restaurant and called 911. (There were 8 Team Members working at the restaurant at the time of the incident, including 2 managers.)"

The hazmat team completed their checks around 8:15 p.m. Tuesday. The fire department turned the building over to its management. The city board of health was at the site Wednesday morning and the restaurant was open Wednesday afternoon.

"Everything is still in the investigative stage, so we don't have any specifics," said Adgate. "All I can tell you is that it was a cleaning agent."

"Because the cause of the incident is still being investigated, we are deferring to first responders for any further details on the potential cause of the chemical reaction and the status of Team Members and others who were in the restaurant at the time of the incident," the Red Robin statement continued. "While the incident is being investigated, the restaurant is closed until further notice and will reopen only after clearance is obtained from the health department and other appropriate authorities."

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-254-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.