One dead, 11 hurt in hydrogen sulfide release in Austin, Texas

(Reuters) - One person died and at least 11 were injured in an incident involving hazardous hydrogen sulfide gas at an apartment complex near the University of Texas at Austin on Wednesday, fire officials said. Austin firefighters responded to a hazardous materials call from an apartment at the complex and found a man believed to be in his 20s dead at the scene, said Austin Fire Department Lieutenant Kevin Haas. Haas said the initial investigation determined that the release of the chemical was deemed "an intentional act," and was being investigated as a suicide. It was unclear where the gas came from, although Haas said the victim likely released the gas from a container brought into the apartment. A woman who manages the property, which houses college students, was in stable condition at a hospital after being exposed to what appeared to be hydrogen sulfide, Austin's KXAN-TV reported. Several other patients were treated at the scene, KXAN said. Haas said as many as 11 people were injured. The Austin Fire Department responded around 2:30 p.m. Fire department personnel found a sign on a closet door inside the apartment unit door where the deceased victim was found that warned of danger, and to "get out," and of the presence of hydrogen sulfide, Haas said. The emergency responders moved to decontaminate the building and evacuate residents. (Reporting by Eric Beech in Washington and Eric M. Johnson in Seattle; Editing by Mohammad Zargham and Peter Cooney)