A San Diego State University student was burned when a chemistry lab experiment went awry Monday.
San Diego firefighters responded around 5 p.m. after someone called 911reporting an explosion in the lab.
The unidentified student was performing an experiment under a glass safety hood when something happened that caused an uncontrolled reaction.
The student suffered minor chemical burns, and the lab was evacuated so hazmat teams could go in.
"They make sure there's not an explosive environment, run some chemical tests to determine if the chemical we were told was the one that was actually there,”said San Diego Fire Battalion Chief Mike Finnerty.
“We make sure the residue is safe to handle and turn it back over to the college to clean up.”
Hazmat crews were able to determine the compound being used in the experiment as calcium hydroxide.
The safety hood saved the student from serious chemical burns, firefighters said.