3 Hurt in Acid Spill at Coca-Cola Plant

More than 1,200 gallons of phosphoric acid gushed out of a valve Tuesday at a Coca-Cola USA bottling plant east of downtown Los Angeles, injuring three workers who inhaled the potentially toxic fumes, authorities said.

The spill occurred shortly before 1 p.m. when a worker left the valve open on one of two tanks used for mixing chemicals, Fire Department spokesman Jim Wells said.

Fifty workers were evacuated and 12 were examined by paramedics. Two women and a man, who complained of chest pains or respiratory problems, were treated at White Memorial Medical Center. Nine others were to undergo further examinations by a doctor at the company’s clinic, Wells said.

At full strength, phosphoric acid can burn skin and eyes and is harmful if inhaled, but the spilled acid was partly diluted and therefore the hazard was reduced, authorities said.

The plant borders the Los Angeles River, but there were no reports that the acid had entered the flood control channel. Most of the spill ended up in the sewer system, Wells said.