Poppers hazmat incident? Either somebody improperly disposed of a stash of poppers or a neighborhood chemist tossed an experiment into the Capitol Hill trash.
One person was taken to the hospital after Seattle Fire was called to Harvard and Mercer Thursday afternoon for a hazardous materials response when a garbage truck compacted its load “and a potentially hazardous material was released,” an SFD spokesperson tells CHS.
According to Seattle Fire, the truck driver was evaluated by medics and transported in stable condition to the hospital after being exposed to the resulting vapors. The HazMat team determined the spill and localized fumes no longer posed an active threat and cleared the vehicle, while Seattle Public Utilities coordinated on-scene to arrange safe disposal of the contaminated load.
A spokesperson initially told CHS the substance was identified as “Isobutyl Nitrate,” though CHS is checking for clarification.
A far more likely culprit is isobutyl nitrite, the chemical compound widely distributed in sex shops, nightlife venues, and online delivery networks as poppers.
While isobutyl nitrate (with an a) is a heavy industrial additive and chemical reagent, isobutyl nitrite (with an i) is an over-the-counter recreational inhalant that can also induce blood pressure drops, dizziness, and headaches.
If our hunch is correct, a stash of isobutyl made its way into the trash, got smashed, and gave the driver a jolt and scare.
We’ll update when SFD provides final identification details.
Broadway/Pike assault: Police and Seattle Fire were called to the service station at Broadway and Pike early Monday morning to a report of a fight with multiple people involving possible bias. Seattle Fire says it treated one person at the scene of the just after 2:30 AM incident who was transported to the hospital with injuries from the assault. Police rushed to the scene after reports of the large fight and arriving officers reported several people fleeing the area. There were no reported arrests. SPD was not able to provide additional information about the assault or possible hate elements.
Political tire slashing alleged: The Seattle Police Department was investigating a felony harassment incident after responding to the Broadway Dick’s Drive-In Sunday where a driver told officers an unknown attacker slashed her car’s tires and charged at her with a knife in a dispute over her political beliefs. The suspect fled and was not caught at the scene. Officers noted that security footage from neighboring business cameras could only be accessed during regular business hours for follow-up investigation. There were no reported injuries and no immediate arrests.
Subscribe to CHS to help hire writers and photographers to cover the neighborhood. CHS is a pay what you can community news site with no required sign-in or paywall. To stay that way, we need you. Become a subscriber to help us cover the neighborhood for $5 a month — or choose your level of support