Contact: Sammy McDavid
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Two Mississippi State students injured Thursday night [March 2] while working on a special team project are expected to return to their studies Monday morning.
University officials continue to investigate the specific cause of an accident at approximately 7:45 p.m. that left the students with cuts and bruises to their upper bodies and arms. The incident took place in the Swalm Chemical Engineering Building's Unit Operations Laboratory.
Dean of Students Mike White said the students and their adviser were working on the "CHEM-E Car," a volunteer team-constructed vehicle being prepared for entry in a future regional competition sponsored by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.
"The students and the adviser, all of whom were wearing required safety eye gear, were in the process of testing a chemical reactor that would serve as the vehicle's power source," White said. "Apparently, a sudden surge in pressure brought on by the chemical reaction caused an explosion."
The students' injuries resulted from the flying debris and their close proximity to the vehicle, White added. The adviser was uninjured.
Transported by ambulance to Oktibbeha County Hospital, the two were treated and later released.