Abstract: At approximately 1:00 p.m. on October 30, 1990, Employee #1 was quenching 200 to 300 grams of sodium metal that were immersed in several milliliters of "hexoneanol" inside a double walled glass reactor. In order to convert the sodium metal to a safer material for disposal, methanol had to be added in 5-ml quantities. The experiment was performed within a fume hood located in the extreme northeastern section of a chemistry lab. Seconds after the methanol was added, shortly after 4:00 p.m., an explosion occurred. Employee #1 sustained second-degree burns to his face and third-degree burns to his right hand and ears, for which he was hospitalized.