Norwich – Employees in a lab at The William W. Backus Hospital were briefly evacuated Thursday as fire crews responded to reports of bleach mixing with methanol and causing a chemical reaction. 

Yantic Fire Chief Frank Blanchard said firefighters contained the mixed chemicals and packed them into a sealed drum. The drum was removed from the hospital for disposal by a contractor. 

Hospital spokesman Shawn Mawhiney said there were no injuries and no impact on patients. The first-floor laboratory is not in a patient care area, he said. Employees were evacuated out of their work space and into other parts of the building, he said. 

Employees were let back in about an hour later.