Odor Traced to Saugus Plant

A Saugus chemical plant was shut down for nearly an hour, all of its 100 employees were evacuated and two roads closed Tuesday when Los Angeles County firefighters and a hazardous-materials team searched for a chlorine leak, authorities said.

The source of the odor, however, turned out to be 3 ounces of dried bleach that had been poured into a water-recycling tank at the Hasa chemical plant, which manufactures chlorine for swimming pools, plant manager Don Humphrey said.

Fire and Hasa officials said the mixing of dried bleach and recycled water is standard procedure in making liquid chlorine at the plant in the 23100 block of Drayton Street.

Fire Capt. Mike Brownlie said that the fumes did not pose a health hazard and that there were no injuries. He blamed strong winds for spreading the tank’s odor, which prompted someone to alert fire officials of a possible leak at the plant about 1 p.m.

Firefighters shut down the plant, ordered the evacuation of all employees and closed portions of San Fernando Road and Drayton Street as they searched for the leak, Brownlie said.

Employees were allowed to return to work, and both streets were reopened about 45 minutes later, he said.