LAFD - HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INCIDENT (EL SERENO AREA)

From: Los Angeles Fire Department

Los Angeles Firefighters were dispatched to a Hazardous Materials Investigation in the El Sereno area of Los Angeles at 2:02 AM on Friday, November 2, 2001.

The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) arrived quickly at the Alpha Therapeutic chemical plant at 5555 East Valley Boulevard (Thos Bros Map 595-G7) to discover that a large fixed tank of Hydrochloric Acid had failed, spilling as much as 3,000 gallons of the product within a

containment pit designed to capture the product in the event of such an occurance.

There have been no injuries to the nearly 20 plant workers who were on site, nor has there been any need for offsite evacuation. A small plume of vapor emanating from the pit is being closely monitored by LAFD Hazardous Materials Experts. The situation is static and not expected to escalate at this time.

Officials from the Los Angeles County Health Department will soon arrive on scene to confer with plant officials and monitor their plans to pump the containment pit with vacuum trucks that are currently enroute. The LAFD anticipates remaining on scene to provide

assistance. There is no specific estimate as to when the pumping and transfer procedure will be complete.

There is no reason at this time to believe that this event is anything but an industrial accident.

-- PHO (owennos@bigfoot.com), November 02, 2001