"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
—Harvard Professor George Santayana

Although much has been written in safety literature about the necessity of learning from past accidents and near-misses, very few countries keep detailed records of lab accidents, and under-reporting remains a widespread problem in organizations worldwide.

The list below has been compiled from public databases and official sources, such as the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, as well as from verified tips from individuals.

If you have information concerning any of these lab fatalities or others, please email info@labsafety.org. To ensure the integrity and completeness of this list, all reports received will be verified before being published. Please allow 4-6 weeks for new listings to appear.

Only fatalities that are the primary or secondary result of accidents that occurred in academic or industrial laboratory settings or in the course of conducting scientific field work are included. When multiple causes of death are possible or where the cause of death is uncertain, this is noted.

Lab Safety Memorial Wall Poster SetThe Laboratory Safety Institute encourages anyone who works in a lab to freely reference this list in safety meetings and presentations. This list is also available in print as a 6-poster set.

Laboratory Fatalities

 

  Ch Rama Rao 2023, Visakhapatnam, India. A pipeline carrying ethanol exploded at GMFC Labs due to a generation of static energy. The event triggered worker protests over safety violations.
  Unknown 2022, Montreal, Canada. A man in his 40s was killed in a chemical explosion at Polymer Source research center.
  Rambabu Bingi, Rajesh Babu Talasila, Ramakrishna Rapeti and Majji Venkata Rao 2022, Visakhapatnam, India. Four persons died on the spot and another received serious burn injuries when an explosion followed by fire engulfed the Laurus Laboratory at JN Pharma City.
  Unknown 2022, Isfahan Province, Iran. One person died and one was injured in a fire that broke out in the chemical laboratory of the Isfahan Industrial University.
  Shakir 2022, Multan, Pakistan. A lab technician died as a result of a chemical explosion at the Government Shahbaz Sharif Hospital.
  Unknown (2) 2021, Nanjing, China. Two people died in a lab explosion at the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
  Unknown 2021, Beijing, China. A graduate student was killed in a laboratory blast at the Institute of Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
  Unknown 2021, Beijing, China. A 53-year old veterinary surgeon working in a primate research institute dissected two dead monkeys in March 2021. When he died two months later, the cause was found to be Monkey B virus.
Samuel Caffaro Samuel Cuffaro 2021, Gubbio, Perugia, Italy. An explosion at a Green Genetics cannabis lab killed a 19-year-old worker.
Elisabetta D'Innocenti Elisabetta D'Innocenti 2021, Gubbio, Perugia, Italy. An explosion at a Green Genetics cannabis lab killed a 52-year-old worker.
Joseph Kapp Joseph Kapp 2020, Schenectady, New York. While Kapp was touring the facilities of Innovative Test Solutions, a tank used to treat avocados exploded. Kapp, a former mayor, later died from his injuries.
  Unknown 2019, Versailles, France. In May 2010, a young technician in an INRA lab accidentally stabbed her thumb through a double pair of latex gloves while working with mice brain tissue containing mad cow disease proteins. She died of the disease nine years later.
Elazar Gutmanas Elazar Gutmanas 2019, Haifa, Israel. Professor Emeritus at Technion – Israel Institute of Technology died in an explosion involving hydrogen research at his lab at the Department for Materials Science and Engineering.
Umihiko Hoshijima Umihiko Hoshijima 2019, Off Alaska Coast. A postdoctoral student at UC Santa Cruz died in an accident during a research dive.
  Unknown (3) 2018, Beijing, China. Three students were killed in a lab explosion while researching wastewater treatment at Jiaotong University.
Manoj Kumar Manoj Kumar 2018, Bengaluru, India. 28-year old researcher was killed in a high-pressure hydrogen cylinder explosion at the Indian Institute of Science.
Ge Guo Ge Guo 2018, Exton, PA. 26-year-old worker at Frontage Laboratories died as a result of exposure to potassium cyanide.
Tsuro-thumb Emmanuel Tsuro 2017, Harare, Zimbabwe. Student researcher died from burns received when a fire broke out in a microbiology lab at Premier Service Medical Investments.
  Unknown 2016, Italy. A patient developed mad cow disease after exposure to infected brain tissue in a lab setting.

 

Krysten Lim Siaw Chian Krysten Lim Siaw Chian 2016, Jurong, Singapore. Chemist at Leeden National Oxygen was killed in an explosion caused by a faulty valve on a gas cylinder. She had just returned from maternity leave and left behind a husband and baby daughter.
  Trust Ncube 2016, Nkulumane, Zimbabwe. A teacher died at Mandwandwe High School after inhaling poisonous fumes at the science laboratory.
Glenn Nix Glenn Nix 2015, Tallahassee, FL. Construction worker killed when a steel cap blew off a high pressure pipe on a cooling device at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at Florida State University.
  Unknown 2015, Xuzhou, China. A gas explosion killed one graduate student and injured four others in a chemistry lab at the University of Mining and Technology.
Meng Xiangjian Meng Xiangjian 2015, Beijing, China. Postdoctoral researcher died in a hydrogen explosion at Tsinghua University.
  Huy Siep 2015, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. A 34-year-old science teacher was spraying a flammable gas while preparing the classroom for a lesson at the University of Health Sciences. The gas ignited, and the teacher died from smoke inhalation.
  Dwight Freeman 2014, San Antonio, TX. 50-year-old technician died at Southwest Research Institute as the result of a lab accident.
  Vipin and Robin 2014, Delhi, India. Two technicians in a pathology lab died in a fire caused by a short-circuited air conditioner.
  Hassan Kamal Hussein 2014, Doha, Qatar. Lab worker died from explosion in petroleum lab at TAMU-Qatar.
  Unknown (6) 2013, Middleburg, South Africa. Six people died in an explosion at the Rolfe Pharmaceutical Laboratory.
Javier Ortiz Javier Ortiz 2013, LaPorte, TX. 30-year-old chemist and father of three died in an explosion at Air Liquide plant.
Carlos Amaral Carlos Amaral 2013, North Andover, MA. 51-year-old died from burns following a trimethyliridium explosion in a Dow Lab (formerly Rohm and Hass).
Richard Din Richard Din 2012, San Francisco. 25-year-old VA hospital lab worker died from exposure to bacterial strain causing septicemia and meningitis.
  Unknown 2012, Shanghai. Graduate student at university opened a poison gas cylinder and died from inhalation.
  Unknown 2012, Germany. Experienced lab worker died from accidental exposure to trimethylsilyldiazomethane.
  Adrian Martin 2011, Menlo Park, CA. Researcher died in lab methane explosion.
Nanaj Bhamare Dr. Nanaj Bhamare 2011, Aberdeen, MD. Killed at Aberdeen Proving Ground from an explosion.
  Unknown 2011. A Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak linked to lab exposure sickened 109 people in 38 states and caused one death.
Michele Dufault Michele Dufault 2011, Connecticut. Died from a lathe accident at Yale.
  Nilamma 2011, Mysore, India. Alcohol fire.
  Rajendra Yadav 2010, New Delhi, India. Scrapyard worker, 35, died disassembling a 3,500kg irradiator containing cobalt-60.
  Tyson Larson 2010, Sumi Valley, CA. 28-year old inventor died in explosion at Realm Industries, an alternative fuel research company.
Richard Folaron Richard Folaron 2010, Tonawanda, NY. Killed in a lab accident at DuPont facility.
Malcolm Casabadan Malcolm Casadaban 2009, Chicago, IL.  A researcher at the University of Chicago Medical Center died from exposure to Yersenia Pestis, a plague-related bacterium.
Sheri Sangji Sheri Sangji 2009, California. t-butyllithium fire at UCLA.
  Alfredo F. Gutierrez 2009, Adelphi, MD. Electrocution in lab at ARL (Army Research Laboratory).
Roland Daigle Roland Daigle 2008, Nova Scotia, Canada. Trimethylsilyldiazomethane poisoning. The lab fume hood was not operating due to roof work on the building.
  Jason Siddell 2008, New Jersey. 24-year-old chemist died after being exposed to trimethylsilyldiazomethane.
  Gladys Baralla, Damián Cardarelli, Liliana Giacomelli de Ceballos, Miguel Mattea, Juan Politano, Carlos Ravera 2007, National University of Río Cuarto, Argentina. Five faculty members and one student (Politano) were killed when someone lit the lighter of an autoclave near a hexane spill, producing a huge explosion.
  Parish Ashley, Charles Bolchoz, Robert Gallagher, Karey Henry 2007, Explosion at T2 Laboratories in Jacksonville, Florida
  Dominique Burget 2006, France. Chemistry professor was killed in an ethane explosion at the National Institute of Higher Learning in Chemistry at Mulhouse.
  Unknown (5) 2005, Zhejiang Province, China. Five people were killed and two others injured in an explosion in a lab of Jusheng Fluorine Chemical Corp.
Tarun Mal Tarun K. Mal 2005, Cleveland State University. Biology professor was electrocuted when he used a "cheater plug" (electrical adapter that converts a three-pronged plug for a two-pronged outlet) to plug in a homemade grow lamp that had a defective ballast.
  Unknown 2005, Moltech Power Systems, Taiwan. A fatal silane explosion occurred during a SiN3-deposition process.
  Kenton Joel Carnegie 2005, University of Waterloo, Canada. A geological engineering student died in a wolf attack during field work in Athabasca basin (northern Saskatchewan).
  Antonina Presnyakova 2004, Russia. A researcher at Russian biological weapons research facility VECTOR died after accidentally pricking herself with a needle contaminated with Ebola virus.
  Tracy Kraling 2004, St. Paul, Minnesota, Vet Tech Hospital. Employee was trapped inside walk-in steam washer used to clean animal cages while the washer was in the final rinse cycle and was fatally burned.
  Unknown 2003, Rochester, NY, Industrial lab explosion.
Scott Spujt Scott Spjut 2003, West Valley City, UT, Forensic scientist, rifle discharge.
  Robert Goldhammer 2003, University of Texas, Geology Department, Assistant Professor was killed when his vehicle rolled over on the way to the field camp.
  Raquel Vieira de Savariego 2003, University of Texas, Geology Department. Visiting scholar was killed when his vehicle rolled over on the way to the field camp.
  Michal Wilgocki 2001, Wrocław, Poland, University of Wrocław chemistry professor killed in lab explosion.
  Unknown (8) 2001-1985, Journal of Clinical Microbiology report (2005) eight fatal lab infections from meningitis bacteria. Six were in USA.
Set Van Nguyen Set Van Nguyen 2001, Australia Animal Health Laboratory. Nitrogen suffocation.
  Paul Ambrose 2000, New York City, Presbyterian Hospital. Nitrogen suffocation.
  James Graham 1999, Scotland, Nitrogen suffocation.
  John Moeck 1999, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Agat Laboratories. Toluene inhalation death.
Julian Szeicz Julian Szeicz 1998, Queen University (Canada), Geology professor killed in avalanche.
  Jeremiah Nix 1997, Franklin County, GA. High school senior electrocuted in science class while learning to use a volt meter.
Elizabeth Griffin Elizabeth Griffin 1997, Atlanta, GA. Yerkes Primate Center. Griffin was working with Rhesus monkeys infected with Herpes B virus. One monkey flung some debris from its cage that hit Griffin in the eye. Griffin contracted the disease and died six weeks later.
Karen Wetterhahn Karen Wetterhahn 1997, Dartmouth College. Wetterhahn was working with a dimethylmercury compound using latex gloves. Latex does not provide sufficient protection from the chemical and she died of mercury poisoning.
Richard Leung Wai-cheuk 1996, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Leung, a 25-year-old grad student, went to the laboratory to see if he could help after two bottles of chemicals were broken. His eyes began burning, and he unwittingly walked into the lab in which the spill had occurred to wash his eyes, where he succumbed to the fumes. The chemicals were later determined to be acryloyl chloride and methacrylic anhydride.
  Ray Rudelis 1996, Florida Petroleum Research Lab, Acetylene explosion.
Michael Hanly Michael Hanly 1996, New York City. Discarded hydrofluoric acid killed sanitation worker
  Unknown 1994, Collegeville, PA. Sterling Winthrop Pharmaceutical. Electrocution.
  Unknown 1994, Western Australia. Palynolab Resources PTY LTD lab technician dies from 70% HF exposure.
  Dennis Park 1993, Elkton, MD, Thiokol, Rotary evaporator flask explosion.
  Unknown 1993, Pasadena, TX, High school student drowned on biology field trip.
Jeanne Messier Jeanne Messier 1993, Reno, NV. UCSD biology grad student contracted hantavirus in field work.
  Unknown 1992, Stanford Research Institute, CA. Hydrogen/oxygen explosion.
  Andrew Riley 1992, Menlo Park, CA. A cold fusion cell at Stanford Research Institute blew up while the British electrochemist was bending over it, killing him instantly.
  Unknown (2) 1992, Hong Kong. University instructor and grad student suffocated in cold room when liquid nitrogen spilled.
  Ralph "Corky" Soldato 1992, Pittsfield, MA. GE Plastics Research Center. Centrifuge explosion.
  Ron Reese 1992, Philadelphia, PA. A steam autoclave exploded, and the door hit Ron Reese in the head.
  Unknown 1992, Edwardsville, IL. Hydrogen explosion while drying solvent at Southern Illinois University.
  Dr. Theo Annin 1991, Western Ontario University. Ether fire in fume hood.
  Unknown 1991, Checotah, OK. Cyanide poisoning.
  Unknown (2) 1991, Osaka University. Silane cylinder contaminated with nitrous oxide exploded, killing two graduate students.
  Unknown 1990, New Jersey physics student electrocuted.
  Unknown 1990, Okinawa, Japan, High school student drowns during oceanography class.
  Unknown 1989, Japan. A silane explosion in a gas cabinet killed one worker.
  Unknown 1989, New Jersey. High school student electrocuted working on TV set in physics class.
  Unknown (2) 1989, Michigan. Two analysts die from exposure to Herpes B virus in lab.
  Nikolai Ustinov 1988, Koltsovo, Russia. A researcher studying Marburg virus accidentally pricked himself with a syringe containing the virus.
  Danny Talbot, Bernard Lemay, André Nol, John Kingston 1988, McMasterville, Quebec. CIL Explosives & Tech Center lab explosion killed four.
  Unknown 1988, California high school custodian went into coma and died following inhalation of old chemicals discarded in dumpster by new high school teacher.
  Lou Molinini, Steven Carveillas and 1 other 1988, Berkley Heights, NJ. Silane explosion at Gollob Analytical Services chemical testing plant.
  Unknown 1986, Moscow. Friendship Moscow State University Chemistry and Chemical Engineering building fire killed Ph.D. student from India.
  Unknown 1985, Bedford, MA. Lincoln Lab worker dies from exposure to undetected arsine leak.
  Robert J. Long 1984, Tamaqua, PA. Research and development laboratory employee killed in explosion at Atlas Powder Company.
  Unknown 1984, Minneapolis. Autoclave exploded when 19-year-old opened it.
  Helena Zinger 1984, Antwerp, Belgium. Died in unidentified lab accident.
  Unknown 1983, San Antonio, TX. Lee High School student electrocuted in science lab.
  Unknown 1983, San Francisco, CA. Maintenance worker died from exposure to Q-Fever from sheep used in lab experiments at UCSF Medical Center.
  Unknown 1982, Golden, CO. Engineering graduate student died from exposure to hydrogen sulfide at Colorado School of Mines.
  Unknown 1982, Michigan. Lab technician died from burns sustained from being trapped in cage cleaning autoclave.
  Unknown (2) 1981, Corning, NY. Sullivan Research Facility hydrofluoric acid tank leaked. Two killed in clean-up.
  Unknown 1981, San Antonio, TX. High School Student electrocuted in science lab.
  Unknown 1981, Kazakstan, Russia. Ether explosion in refrigerator at the National Academy of Science.
  Unknown 1980, Boston, MA. Female student died drinking water from a lab faucet in a “clean” beaker at the University of Massachusetts.
  Sunny Su 1979, Dartmouth, MA. Graduate student died in solvent explosion and fire at the University of Massachusetts.
  Unknown (64) 1979, Sverdlovsk, Russia. The exact number of victims remains unknown due to government coverup, but it could be as many as 100 who died from exposure to anthrax at a biological weapons lab when someone forgot to install a filter on an exhaust.
  Unknown 1979, Arizona State University. Organic extraction solvent fire killed graduate student in geochemist’s laboratory.
  Unknown 1979, Washington State University. High school student died when the nitroglycerine he had synthesized blew up in his pocket on the way to the football field.
  Unknown 1978, College Park, MD. Custodian died in closet making carbon dioxide “smoke” from dry ice for a Halloween party at Baptist Community School.
Janet Parker Janet Parker 1978, Medical School at Birmingham University (UK), 40-year-old medical photographer died from laboratory exposure to smallpox.
  Unknown (54) 1963-1977, Nigeria. A report compiling a number of laboratory-acquired viral infections at the Virus Research Laboratory in Ibadan, Nigeria, details 54 deaths.
  Unknown 1976, UK. A lab worker died of Ebola after being accidently stuck by a contaminated needle.
  Unknown 1976, Texas high school student died of injuries sustained in alcohol fire. He was trying to refill the lamp while it was still lit.
  Unknown 1976, Arizona State University graduate student was trapped in lab fire.
  Unknown 1976, Enschede, Netherlands. Organic chemist died of edema from methylfluorosulfate exposure at Technische Hogeschool Twente.
  Unknown 1974, Stanford University. Graduate student killed when broken lid flew off vacuum desiccator.
  Adrian Droog and Wayne Fien 1973, Brisbane, Australia. Adrian Droog, a 9th-grade teacher at Inala State High School, was demonstrating how to make a rocket using potassium chlorate and sulphur when the mixture exploded. The teacher and a student were killed, and several other students were injured.
  John Gallant 1972, Westbrook, ME. High school student electrocuted while learning to use oscilloscope in physics class.
  Unknown (2) 1972, London. A 23-year-old laboratory assistant at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine was infected with smallpox virus after harvesting live virus from eggs. She survived, but infected two visitors of a patient in an adjacent bed, both of whom died.
  Shri Krishna Singh 1972, Cambridge, MA. MIT grad student electrocuted while working on live circuits.
  Unknown (2) 1972, New Haven, CT. Solid propellant explosion kills two lab workers at Olin-Matheson.
  Unknown (3) 1971, Russia. Three lab technicians died from smallpox as a result of a field test at a Soviet biological weapons facility on an island in the Aral Sea.
  Unknown 1971, Seattle, WA. P-Chem undergraduate killed in explosion from while pouring waste solvent at the University of Washington.
  Unknown 1969, Seattle. Sodium explosion in physical chemistry lab kills student at University of Washington.
  Ray Kemp 1968-9, Columbus, OH. Potassium cyanide poisoning at Ohio State University.
  Unknown (7) 1967, Marburg, Germany. Seven patients died from lab worker exposure to virus from infected Grivet monkeys from Uganda.
  Unknown 1966, Port Evan, NY. Chemist killed in explosion at Hercules Powder Company.
  Unknown 1966, Selden, NY. Suffolk Community College lab instructor died from injuries sustained when he dropped a jar of sodium.
  Unknown 1966, Princeton, NJ. Princeton University graduate student killed when struck by unchained gas cylinder that fell, sheared off valve and went through a cinderblock wall.
  Unknown 1966, Providence, RI. Brown University biology graduate student electrocuted doing electrophoresis.
  Unknown 1965, Wroclaw, Poland. Explosion kills chemistry department student at University of Poland.
  Unknown 1963, Alabama. Solid propellant explosion at Morton Thiokol.
  Emil Grubbe 1960. Possibly first doctor to use x-rays in the treatment of cancer, he died of cancer caused by exposure to x-ray radiation.
Leo Guerin Leo Guerin 1959, Los Alamos, NM. Explosion killed 35 year old lab worker while drilling small holes into plastic explosive with a soldered hypodermic needle with a cutting tip at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Ray Means Ray Means 1959, Los Alamos, NM. Explosion killed 31 year old lab worker who was standing next to Leo Guerin.
Jose Cordova Jose C. Cordova 1959, Los Alamos, NM. Four workers died while preparing to burn 300 pounds of scraps and sawdust-like explosive residue at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Sevedeo Lujan Sevedeo Lujan 1959, Los Alamos, NM. Four workers died while preparing to burn 300 pounds of scraps and sawdust-like explosive residue at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Escolastico Martinez Escolastico Martinez 1959, Los Alamos, NM. Four workers died while preparing to burn 300 pounds of scraps and sawdust-like explosive residue at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Leopoldo Pacheco Leopoldo F. Pacheco 1959, Los Alamos, NM. Four workers died while preparing to burn 300 pounds of scraps and sawdust-like explosive residue at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
  Cecil Kelley 1958, Los Alamos, NM. Kelley was standing on a ladder to stir a vat that included plutonium residue at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The plutonium became too concentrated and reached a critical mass.
Harlow Mork Harlow Mork 1958, Michigan State University, Graduate student killed when distilling thiophene detonated in chemistry lab.
frederic-curie Frédéric Joliot-Curie 1958, Paris. Husband of Irene Joliot-Curie and Nobel Laureate in Chemistry for 1935. Died of liver disease resulting from overexposure to radiation.
  Dr. Thomas Patterson 1958, Woodstock, IL. Killed in explosion handling glass flask that possibly had contained ether at Morton Salt.
Reed Hurst Reed Hurst 1958, Huntsville, AL. Hurst was working alone as a chemist at the Army Ballistic Missile Agency (Redstone Arsenal). He poured a beaker of chemicals into a drain that had not been properly cleaned before his shift. The two substances reacted and caused an explosion that led to his death.
  Dr. M.S. 1957, National Viral laboratory, National Health and Welfare Canada, a 31 year-old male laboratory worker (Dr. M.S.) died from Herpes B infection.  He was engaged in the production of polio vaccine with Rhesus monkeys.  This case is reported in the Can. Med. Assoc. J. Vol. 79, Nov 1958.
Irene Curie Irène Joliot-Curie 1956, Paris. Daughter of Marie Curie and Nobel Laureate in Chemistry for 1935. Died of leukemia resulting from overexposure to radiation. A 1946 laboratory explosion of a capsule of polonium is thought to have been a direct cause.
Candalario Esquibel Candalario Esquibel 1956, Los Alamos National Laboratory, 29-year-old died instantly when 50 pounds of explosive detonated while he was scraping dried powder from oven trays to store in glass bottles.
  Unknown 1956. A research chemist’s unauthorized experiment exploded, killing a colleague.
  Oliver Blaber 1956, Bayside, Queens, NY. Sylvania Products Metallurgical Laboratory. Explosions occurred when a hot crucible fell into a barrel of thorium dust powder. Nine people were injured, and one died.
  Unknown 1954, Indian Harbor, Indiana. New employee killed trying to cut the top off a 55-gallon drum. It exploded.
  Unknown (2) 1950's, Pittsburg, National Energy Technology Laboratory. Hydrogen explosion killed two researchers.
  Perry Brown 1950, Boston, MA. X-ray pioneer died due to x-ray exposure.
Catherine Chamie Catherine Chamié 1950, Paris. As a lab assistant to Marie Curie, she transported radioactive sources each day on a cart, shielded poorly by lead bricks. Died from exposure.
  Kenneth Eugene Ramsay 1950, Brisbane, Australia. Chemistry instructor died from injuries sustained in an explosion while demonstrating the explosive nature of liquid oxygen.
Louis Slotin Louis Slotin 1946, Los Alamos, NM. Received a fatal dose of neutron radiation while conducting experiments in plutonium critical mass.
Harry Daghlian Harry Daghlian 1945, Los Alamos, NM. Lab assistant for Louis Slotin. Received a fatal dose of neutron radiation while conducting experiments in plutonium critical mass.
  Walter Bradford Cannon 1945. X-ray pioneer died due to x-ray exposure.
  John Gibbs 1945, Ballarat, Australia. Chemist asphyxiated by carbon monoxide fumes in the brass foundry laboratory where he worked.
Peter Bragg Peter Bragg 1944, Philadelphia, PA, Naval Research Lab explosion released radioactive, acidic, scalding steam and gas, killing two Manhattan Project chemists.
Paul Meigs Douglas Paul Meigs 1944, Philadelphia, PA, Naval Research Lab explosion released radioactive, acidic, scalding steam and gas, killing two Manhattan Project chemists.
Sam Ruben Sam Ruben 1943, Berkeley, CA. UC-Berkeley chemist who co-discovered the synthesis of the isotope carbon-14. He was studying the mechanism of phosgene as a poison gas when he was accidentally exposed to it.
  Dora Lush 1943, Melbourne. A bacteriologist accidentally pricked her finger with a needle containing lethal scrub typhus while attempting to develop a vaccine for the disease.
  John Joy 1939, Melbourne. Died from severe acid burns sustained in a chemical explosion.
Ross Amos Hull Ross Amos Hull 1938, New York. Australian-American radio engineer. Electrocuted in his laboratory while conducting experiments with television apparatus.
  Unknown 1940, Illinois, Graduate student killed in explosion of chemicals stored in a household refrigerator.
Marie Curie Marie Curie 1934, Skłodowska eastern France, from aplastic anemia contracted from exposure to radiation.
Frederick Baetjer Fredrick Baetjer 1933, Baltimore, MD. X-ray pioneer died due to x-ray exposure.
Reinhold Tiling Reinhold Tiling, Angela Buddenboehmer, and Friedrich Kuhr 1933, Osnabrück, Germany. Rocket engineer, his assistant and mechanic died of burns sustained in an explosion when solid propellant was overheated during preparation.
  William Brebner and 20 others 1932, New York. A bacteriologist studying polio at the Rockefeller Institute was bitten on the hand by a rhesus macaque. He later died from a virus his famous colleague Albert Sabin later named "B" virus, after Brebner. Since then, approximately 20 others have died of Monkey B virus, almost all of them from laboratory-acquired infections.
  Silas Wilson 1932, Adelaide, Australia. Died from burns following an explosion caused when water came in contact with phenol being heated to a high temperature.
  Unknown (168) 1930-1978, 168 deaths from laboratory-acquired infections (C.H. Collins, Laboratory Acquired Infections, Buttersworth, 1988)
  Unknown (at least 19) 1930, Medellin, Colombia. At least 19 children were killed by poor-quality diphtheria vaccine due to a laboratory error.
  Unknown 1929, Hungary, Science teacher killed in demonstration involving potassium metal.
Alexander Bogdanov Alexander Bogdanov 1928, Moscow. Performed early experiments in blood transfusion—on himself. Died from tuberculosis and malaria from donated blood.
  Unknown (2) 1928, Dahlen, Saxony, Germany. Two people were killed in an explosion in a chemist's home laboratory.
  Mr. Stammer 1928, Berlin. Killed in an explosion while manufacturing mercury fulminate in an unauthorized laboratory.
  Unknown (at least 18) 1928, Berlin. Killed in an explosion caused by the unauthorized manufacture of chemical detonators.
Robert Machlett Robert Machlett 1926. X-ray pioneer died due to x-ray exposure.
  Surendra Nath Dhar 1923, Madras, India. Killed by accidental inhalation (or ingestion) of potassium cyanide at the Civil Engineering College.
  Atherton Kinsley Dunbar 1922, Cambridge, MA. Killed by an explosion in Harvard's Cryogenic Engineering Laboratory when high-pressure oxygen being pumped into a gas cylinder came in contact with residual lubricating oil in the cylinder.
  William Connell 1922, Cambridge, MA. Killed by an explosion in Harvard's Cryogenic Engineering Laboratory when high-pressure oxygen being pumped into a gas cylinder came in contact with residual lubricating oil in the cylinder.
  William Eastman-Spandow 1922. Columbia University, New York. Killed instantly when an autoclave containing diphenylamine became over-pressurized and exploded.
  Herbert Robert 1922, St. Louis. X-ray pioneer died due to x-ray exposure.
Eugene Wilson Caldwell Eugene Caldwell 1918, New York. X-ray pioneer died due to x-ray exposure.
Walter James Dodd Walter James Dodd 1916. X-ray pioneer died due to x-ray exposure.
  Henry Green 1914. X-ray pioneer died due to x-ray exposure.
  Burton Eugene Baker 1913. X-ray pioneer died due to x-ray exposure.
  Thurman Lester Wagner 1912. X-ray pioneer died due to x-ray exposure.
  Henry S. Thurston 1911, London. Assistant in the University College London bacteriology laboratories. Died from cutaneous anthrax possibly contracted after picking up a test tube containing the bacteria, then touching a scratch on his neck.
Mihran Kassabian Mihran Kassabian 1910, Philadelphia. X-ray pioneer died due to x-ray exposure.
Charles Dickinson Charles Courter Dickinson 1910, New York. Financier and amateur chemist. Died of pneumonia and heart failure after inhaling toxic vapors while observing an experiment in a friend's laboratory in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
  Rome Vernon Wagner 1908. X-ray pioneer died due to x-ray exposure.
  John Bawer 1908. X-ray pioneer died due to x-ray exposure.
  William Carl Egelhoff 1907. X-ray pioneer died due to x-ray exposure.
Wolfram Fuchs Wolfram C. Fuchs 1907, Chicago. X-ray pioneer died due to x-ray exposure.
Louis Weigel Louis Weigel 1906, X-ray pioneer died due to x-ray exposure.
  Arthur-Honore Radiguet 1905, Paris. X-ray pioneer died due to x-ray exposure.
Elizabeth Fleischmann-Aschheim Elizabeth Fleischman-Aschheim 1905, San Francisco. Began experimenting with an x-ray machine on herself. Her arm was amputated due to x-ray burns before she finally died of cancer.
  Unknown 1904, Kronstadt, Russia. The director of a microbiological research laboratory died from plague while experimenting with cultures of bacteria.
Clarence Dally Clarence M. Dally 1904, New Jersey. Glass blower at Thomas Edison's Menlo Park lab killed by x-ray exposure. Severely burned in 1896, he still worked with x-rays until 1898. His death caused Edison to discontinue radiation work in his lab.
  Arthur Barry Blacker 1902, London. X-ray pioneer died due to x-ray exposure.
  Unknown (4) 1896, Berlin. A chemist and three assistants were killed in an explosion while experimenting with acetylene.
Vera Popova Vera Yevstafievna Popova 1896, Izhevsk, Russia. Chemist died as the result of an explosion while attempting to synthesize methylidynephosphan, an extremely pyrophoric compound.
  William Evelyn Liardet 1893, Melbourne, Australia. Chemist killed by an explosion while experimenting with explosives and nitric acid.
  E.T. Chapman and 2-3 lab staff 1872, Ruebeland, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Chemist killed in a laboratory explosion during experiments with methyl nitrate.
Jerome Nickles Jérôme Nicklès 1869, Nancy, France. Chemist attempting to isolate fluorine died of hydrogen fluorine inhalation.
  William Hart 1866, Manchester, England. Chemist died in a laboratory accident at Tennant's Chemical Works.
  Dr. Carl Ulrich and T. Sloper 1865, London. Chemist and assistant died from inhaling dimethylmercury vapors.
  Unknown 1863, Heidelberg, Germany. The young son of a university employee entered Robert Bunsen's laboratory without proper supervision. He put an iron tube of rubidium hydroxide in his mouth and it exploded.
  Thomas G. Stewart and assistant 1863, Edinburgh. Chemistry and mathematics instructor died of pulmonary edema after inhaling nitric acid fumes when a jar of acid fell and shattered. It was thought he and his assistant's attempts to recover some of the spilled acid directly caused their deaths.
  Charles Blachford Mansfield and George Coppin 1855, London. Chemist and assistant died of burns following the explosion of a naphtha still.
  James Heywood 1854, Sheffield, England. Chemist died of pulmonary edema after inhaling acid fumes when a glass carboy containing a mixture of nitric and sulfuric acids fell and shattered.
Paulin Louyet Pauline Louyet 1850, Brussels, Belgium. Chemist attempting to isolate fluorine died of hydrogen fluorine inhalation.
  Julius Bescherer 1849, Rudolstadt, Germany. Chemist and university lecturer was killed while preparing some hydrogen cyanide.
  Henry Hennell 1842, London. Chemist killed in a violent explosion while manufacturing roughly six pounds of mercury fulminate.
  Mr. Hervig 1840, Paris. Laboratory assistant in the School of Pharmacy. Killed by the explosion of an apparatus used to generate carbonic acid.
  Felix-Polydore Boullay 1835, Paris. Chemist died from the effects of severe burns sustained in a November 1830 explosion, caused by accidentally holding a bottle of diethyl ether near an open flame.
Adolph Gehlen Adolph Ferdinand Gehlen 1815, Munich. Chemist died from inhaling arsine fumes during an experiment.
Bertrand Pelletier Bertrand Pelletier 1797, Paris. Chemist died of tuberculosis and damaged lungs from excessive exposure to phosphorus and chlorine fumes.
  Mr. Letors and Ms. Chevraud 1788, Essonnes, France. Killed by an explosion during a gunpowder manufacturing experiment conducted by Claude-Louis Berthollet and Antoine Lavoisier, in which 20 pounds of potassium chlorate were mixed with gunpowder.
Carl Scheele Carl Scheele 1786, Köping, Sweden. Scheele was known to smell and taste any new substances he discovered. Cumulative exposure to arsenic, mercury, lead, and perhaps hydrofluoric acid which he had discovered, took their toll on Scheele. Doctors said he died of mercury poisoning.
Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier 1785, Wimille, France. Conducted early aviation experiments using hot air balloons. Died when his balloon suddenly caught fire, deflated and fell from the sky.
Johann Gottlob Lehmann Johann Gottlob Lehmann 1767, St. Petersburg, Russia. German geologist died from inhaling arsine fumes after a crucible containing an arsenic compound exploded during heating.