Rochester firefighters responding to a fire alarm at Kodak Tower on State Street early this morning found themselves dealing with a hazardous materials incident.
The Fire Department responded to the Eastman Kodak Co. complex at 343 State St. after a four-floor smoke detector triggered an automatic fire alarm.
Firefighters found that three large lead-acid batteries for the building's emergency backup power system malfunctioned, releasing smoke and carbon monoxide and spilling sulfuric acid on the floor.
A chemical reaction had also produced extremely flammable hydrogen gas, according to a department spokesperson, creating an explosion hazard.
Crews used water-powered ventilation fans to blow the gas out of the building through a nearby exterior balcony. The department's Hazardous Materials Team contained the sulfuric acid spill
Once testing showed the hydrogen gas at safe levels, firefighters disconnected the power source from the batteries. Kodak's fire brigade and other specially trained employees will do the remaining mitigation and cleanup, officials said.
No injuries were reported.
