Bank employees inhale fumes opening vault Tuesday

Police say a punctured aerosol can leaked overnight

DARLINGTON, Wis. — Three bank employees and one patron were treated for respiratory ailments Tuesday after they breathed in fumes from a punctured aerosol-spray product while opening the vault.

Darlington police and fire departments responded to the Citizens Bank on Wells Street for a report of a chemical spill.

Police said the preliminary investigation revealed an aerosol can containing a static neutralizer for electronics had been punctured and released its contents in the bank vault overnight. The vapors were released when the employees opened the vault at about 10:10 a.m. because the vault doesn’t have an air exchange system, police said.

City of Darlington Police Chief Jason King said the citizen and bank employees were transported by Rural Medical Ambulance Service to Memorial Hospital of Lafayette County for treatment.

Fire department personnel remained on scene until about 11:30 a.m. ventilating the building, according to the report.

Authorities said the Southwest WI Regional Tech Rescue and Hazmat Team, Lafayette County Emergency Management, Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department and Darlington Public Works Department assisted at the scene.

The report did not indicate if the four affected had been released from treatment.