A hydrogen peroxide leak forced the evacuation of 200 workers at the Federal Center in Lakewood this morning.

The 32-gallon leak of the chemical used to purify water at a pumping plant was reported about 8 a.m., said Cindy Matthews, spokeswoman for West Metro Fire Rescue.

It was quickly plugged and the liquid contained by West Metro's hazardous-materials teams, she said.

But the accident still emptied three buildings — numbers 52, 53 and 50 — containing federal highway, geological survey and land-management agencies. Authorities sent the roughly 200 workers home for the day while a contractor was called in to clean up the hazardous mess, Matthews said.

"At no time was the community around the Federal Center in any harm," Matthews said.

Most of center's 8,000 workers and an employee day-care center were not evacuated.

Yet, fire fighters cordoned off a 200-foot perimeter around the building with yellow tape, she said.

The liquid, which is 32 percent hydrogen peroxide, can become flammable or explosive if it comes into contact with organic materials such as cotton fabric in a T-shirt or wood fibers, she said. But the chemical would only become explosive if it were also contained under pressure.

Officials have yet to determine why the leak occurred.

About 35 haz-mat specialists responded from West Metro and the joint Jefferson and Adams counties' haz-mat team.