Chemical Spill Causes Firms to Evacuate
About 10 businesses were evacuated Wednesday afternoon when 15 gallons of an algae-killing chemical spilled at a marine biochemical company in northeast Anaheim, fire officials said.
There were no injuries. Fire officials said the evacuation was facilitated because the spill was reported near 5 p.m., which is closing time at Marine Biochemist. The firm is in the 2900 block of La Jolla Street.
“It appears to be an intentional illegal dump,” Anaheim Fire Capt. Web Whitlock said Wednesday night. However, he said, investigators did not know whether the chemical originated at Marine Biochemist or had been brought to the facility.
The chemical was identified as Aquathol-K, a potassium salt endothal. The aquatic herbicide is used to kill algae in sewers, Whitlock said.
Anaheim and Orange County fire and health crews worked into the night to clean the chemical from a half-square-mile area.
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