Following up on the “still unexplained” story of a man who spilled mercury onto an LA subway platform and skedaddled, here’s this: Some touched mercury spilled in Los Angeles subway incident.

At least four subway passengers either touched or stepped on 6 ounces of mercury that a man dropped onto a downtown subway platform here, with one commuter finally alerting authorities about the spill eight hours after it occurred.

Video from a camera in the Pershing Square station also shows several people looking down at the viscous fluid. At least two men can be seen stooping to touch it.

Officials said none of those exposed appeared to have been sickened by the mercury, which can cause severe health problems if inhaled, ingested or touched.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority has come under harsh criticism for its handling of the Dec. 22 incident, in which a man in a sports jacket dropped the hazardous element on the platform — then used an MTA intercom to say, “I spilled mercury.”

So, the story has advanced a little. Now the man is described as using an MTA intercom, as opposed to calling the authorities, which implied using a telephone. Not a big deal, but it shows once again how basic facts get misreported in the initial stages of any story.

As for the people who, unbelievably, stooped to touch the spilled liquid: they should consider themselves lucky that it was only mercury. I can’t conceive of ever wanting to touch a liquid I saw on a subway platform. (And it has absolutely nothing to do with fear of terrorism.)

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