WOOD RIVER - A call to the Wood River Fire Department that initially appeared to be a potentially serious incident at a Wood River nursing home ended without a fire after a dry chemical fire extinguisher was accidentally discharged, prompting an evacuation and medical evaluations, according to the Wood River Fire Department.
Wood River Fire Chief Wade Stahlhut said the call came in from BRIA of Wood River, 393 Edwardsville Road, on Monday morning, March 2, 2026. He said fire crews arrived to find residents being evacuated from the rear of the property and determined that a dry chemical fire extinguisher in a hallway had been knocked off the wall, expelling its contents and triggering the fire alarm.
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“The BRIA staff did a good job of getting everyone evacuated to the outside,” Chief Stahlhut said. “Three employees were treated for inhalation of the dry chemical agent. One person was transported to an area hospital for evaluation after they were all screened by fire personnel.”
Stahlhut said the East Alton and Roxana fire departments assisted Wood River on the mutual aid call because it involved a nursing home.
He said there was no fire and no ongoing hazard. Fire personnel ventilated the area with fans, checked on residents and employees, reset the fire alarm, and addressed the dry chemical agent, he said.
Stahlhut described the incident as accidental, saying an individual knocked the extinguisher, which discharged into the hallway.
