Quarantined: outside looking in

"Women, who changed from street clothes to scrubs, text and dial as they remain quarantined inside Intermountain Saratoga Springs Clinic after a man who visited the clinic later died from from inhaling a toxic chemical, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010. IHC Instacare was locked down with 24 people inside while multiple fire crews tried to determine the risk to individuals on the scene."

I haven't witnessed nor even chased down much breaking, spot news here in Utah. Back home it seemed like I was always chasing something or somebody down with a reporter.

While chasing the breaking story doesn't always lend itself to being very visual, it's fun trying to get what you can from certain situations while keeping up with transmitting roadside frequently.

Last night, I was supposed to cover D-League basketball, aka, NBA developmental hoops. But then things changed.

I was sent out to Saratoga Springs where a 30-year-old man died a couple hours prior, likely after exposure to a toxic chemical.

What made the story more prominent is that the Instacare where the man checked into Tuesday evening was then locked down after his death. Those inside, including employees, were decontaminated as a precaution.

All 24 people who were in the building at the time were detained for examination, but only eight were decontaminated. Five of those employees were sent to American Fork Hospital later Tuesday night for a final medical clearance.

So I sat shooting frames of people from the outside looking in - ironically - as they sat inside looking out. Not the most fun ever, but gets the adrenaline flowing, and it's always nice when another photog, friend is there to talk to.

I took lots of frames, ran up and down the side walk, but being patient finally paid off when a couple women, who had changed into scrubs, started looking out the window as they texted and dialed, probably to their loved ones.

I can't even to begin what they were thinking. I would have been terrified, and knowing that I am a bit of a hypochondriac when it comes to illnesses, I would have been freaking out. I am glad everyone eventually made it out OK and cannot do anything but feel remorse for the man who lost his life.