More mercury contamination feared

Heather Rawlyk

Monday, Jan. 26, 2004 | 9:39 a.m.

The Clark County Health District and the Environmental Protection Agency announced Friday that more people than they expected could have had contact with mercury that a Las Vegas teen was using as a toy.

The Health District encouraged anyone who had contact with the substance to come forward.

The teen's home at 1400 Saylor Way, near Vegas Drive and Jones Boulevard, became contaminated after 17-year-old Michael Coleman found a jar of mercury, poured it out, and played with it in and around his home for several months, according to the Health District.

Health officials are trying to figure out how many children may have had contact with the substance.

"We've had other children coming forward," Health District spokeswoman Jennifer Sizemore said. "There are kids that walk by the house on their way from school, and the EPA is asking them questions and getting more information that way."

None of the children who have come forward have tested positive for mercury poisoning and no other homes have had to be decontaminated, Sizemore said.

Other children who visited the home or the family members of those children who took the mercury home with them are at risk for ill health effects and contamination of their homes, the Health District said.

A Health District handout, containing information about the recent mercury incident, facts about mercury and whom to call if a child had any contact with the mercury or brought mercury home with them, is available on the Health District website (www.cchd.org).

For more information about mercury and the progress at Saylor Way, contact Daniel Maxson with the Health District at 383-1263 during normal business hours and 385-1291 after hours.