Accidental Spill Evacuates 30 From Local Business

On Thursday, February 12, 2009 at 2:37 PM,7 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 3 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 2 Hazardous Materials Teams,1 EMS Battalion Captain, 1 Battalion Chief Officer Command Team, L.A. County Health Haz Mat and LAPD Haz Mat, under the direction of Battalion Chief Peter Benesch, responded to a Hazardous Materials Incident at 2210 S. Barry Av. in the Sawtelle area.

Firefighters responded to reports of a hazardous material spill at a commercial business. When Firefighters arrived, they found 25 to 30 employees of the business self evacuating and were promptly taken to a safe location. Further investigation revealed the company, Barry Avenue Plating Company, had contaminated soil in the process of being removed from the property. Approximately 200 gallons of Calcium Polysulfide, used in preparing the soil for removal, was accidentally spilled. The chemical is not used in plating operations.

A Haz Mat entry team deemed the material to be static and contained in a 20 foot by 10 foot containment pool. Readings were taken and no atmospheric hazard was found. The incident was downgraded and turned over to L.A. County Health Haz Mat to oversee the proper clean-up and removal of the material.

52 Firefighters were utilized during the incident. No residential evacuations were necessary, but Olympic Boulevard was shut down between Barrington Avenue and Federal Avenue for the duration of the incident.

Submitted by d'Lisa Davies
Los Angeles Fire Department