Evolution - refrigerator style

Dear Congressman,

Could not help sharing the following from this mornings news wire, as anyone who has ever worked in the corporate world has a similar story.

Rotten office fridge cleanup sends 7 to hospital

AP SAN JOSE, Calif. – An office worker cleaning a fridge full of rotten food created a smell so noxious that it sent seven co-workers to the hospital and made many others ill.

Firefighters had to evacuate the AT&T building in downtown San Jose on Tuesday after the fumes led someone to call 911. A hazmat team was called in.

What crews found was an unplugged refrigerator crammed with moldy food.

Authorities say an enterprising office worker had decided to clean it out, placing the food in a conference room while using two cleaning chemicals to scrub down the mess.

The mixture of old lunches and disinfectant caused 28 people to need treatment for vomiting and nausea.

Authorities say the worker who cleaned the fridge didn't need treatment — she can't smell because of allergies.


With that said, our frig here in the lunch room has never reached the epic standards set by San Jose's ATT office. Normally, after space runs short, someone will step forward, analysis the contents of our unit, and sanitize it for good measure. We have occasionally found items in plastic containers way in the back that are attempting to evolve into higher life forms, but never has a Friday afternoon frig cleaning lead to the a visit from the Fire Department or the EPA.

And for the record, those are some pretty impressive allergies if 28 of your co-workers were blowing chunks and you did not even grimace....