Toxic Spill Contained Outside Price Club in Dana Point

A hazardous-materials team dispatched to the scene of a chemical spill Tuesday in Dana Point quickly contained the problem, with no evacuations necessary, authorities said.

Orange County Fire Department officials said a small residue of hydrozine, a poisonous and flammable chemical, spilled at about 1:37 p.m. from a truck at the Price Club, in the 33900 block of Doheny Park Road in the new city’s Capistrano Beach district.

An area of the parking lot around the spill was cordoned off by the Fire Department’s hazardous-materials team, but business at the discount store was not disrupted, a Price Club employee said.

The truck was carrying two empty drums that had contained hydrozine but had been rinsed with water, Fire Department spokeswoman Patti Range said.

She said the truck’s driver--Rocky Engeman, 36, of Lake Elsinore--was making a delivery at the Price Club when he noticed liquid dripping from the containers and called officials.

Range said county workers determined that the small amount of liquid was a residue of the hydrozine but that even the residue was highly toxic and combustible.

Officials used special caution when it was discovered that the truck was also carrying 285 pounds of book-type matches, she added.

The hazardous-materials team, in full protective gear, removed the 340-gallon hydrozine containers with a forklift.

Orange County Fire Department Capt. Hank Raymond said the situation was brought under control by 6 p.m. Tuesday.