Nitrogen Triflouride Leak at Arizona Intel Manufacturing Plant Hospitalizes 11 People
There has been a gas leak at Intel’s plant in Chandler, Arizona, leaving at least 11 people hospitalized with nausea, breathing difficulties, and eye irritation, and a total of 43 that were ill enough to need on-scene treatment. Battalion Chief Tom Dwiggins of the local fire department identified the leak as nitrogen triflouride.
Intel shut down the tool that caused the leak, and there is no further danger, according to Intel spokesman Chuck Mulloy. Further, the area neighborhoods were not affected, and the plant has resumed operations as normal. "They monitored the air inside and outside the structure and in all cases the air was clean," said Mulloy.
The Chandler plant employs about 11,000 people and houses two fabs that produce chips on the 14nm process. There’s also a $300 million, 285,000 square foot research facility being built on the site, and Intel is investing $5 billion to build a third fab at the location; construction on both is slated for completion later this year.
Intel shut down the tool that caused the leak, and there is no further danger, according to Intel spokesman Chuck Mulloy. Further, the area neighborhoods were not affected, and the plant has resumed operations as normal. "They monitored the air inside and outside the structure and in all cases the air was clean," said Mulloy.
Intel's Chandler, AZ campus
The Chandler plant employs about 11,000 people and houses two fabs that produce chips on the 14nm process. There’s also a $300 million, 285,000 square foot research facility being built on the site, and Intel is investing $5 billion to build a third fab at the location; construction on both is slated for completion later this year.
