Distilling off diisopropyl alcohol from Calcium hydride under Nitrogen should be a simple experiment - until such time as the needle blocks and a little pressure goes a long way.

Round about 4.30 pm GMT I was working in the fumehood next to Chris Nichols when he applied a heat gun to his short path distillation, resulting in an explosion which set fire to a large quantity of volatile solvent, burning off a decent amount of his fringe and sucking the air out of his lungs. We got it under control pretty quickly, emptying two powder extinguishers into the fumehood and choking everyone with a cloud of white particles.

Meanwhile I can't stop shaking while I type and nearly two hours have passed.

Chris is OK, but everyone got a terrible fright.

I realise this isn't a particularily relevant post to anyone elses life, but I felt the need to tell someone about it. Man, That scared the bejeezuz out of me.

Roll on Halloween, eh?

Bourne