During a routine maintenance check Thursday morning about 10:30, the door of a backup boiler in the lower level boiler room of Patrick Gymnasium blew open, injuring a UVM employee and damaging asbestos covered pipes in the room, possibly causing asbestos to be released into the air.

The area of the building near the boiler room was evacuated as a precaution and remains closed while testing is conducted.

At this time, experts at the University of Vermont, the State Hazardous Materials Team, Fletcher Allen Health Care, and the Vermont State Department of Health feel there no reason to believe anyone who was not in the boiler room has been exposed.

If test results, which should be available by the end of the day or in the early evening, indicate there is any cause for concern, information will be released at that time.

The injured employee was transported to Fletcher Allen Health Care where he is being evaluated.