De-icer leak causes jet evacuation at Sea-Tac

Seven Alaska Airlines employees were taken to hospitals today after fumes from de-icing fluid leaked inside a plane shortly before it was scheduled to take off from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

About 20 passengers were checked at the airport for eye and throat irritation after the plane was evacuated.

Alaska Airlines Flight 528, bound for Burbank, Calif., from Gate N7, was being de-iced around 8:15 a.m. when passengers reported symptoms from fumes that "made their way onto the aircraft," said Terri-Anne Betancourt, airport spokeswoman.

Betancourt said airport personnel were investigating the incident.

All 143 passengers got off the plane, and those who were affected were offered treatment from medics, she said. A new Alaska Airlines plane was brought in for the flight and was expected to leave about 10:30 a.m.

Effects of inhaling de-icer fumes would likely "be transient," said Marc Stifelman, a toxicologist in the Seattle office of the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The most common de-icer used by airlines contains ethylene glycol, he said, and inhalation can irritate the eyes and upper respiratory system.

"Aircraft workers are routinely exposed, despite wearing masks, but it's not considered very dangerous ... ," Stifelman said.