Chemical Spill Into Drain Investigated

The hazardous materials team from the Orange County Fire Department investigated Tuesday the release of a chemical substance that was discharged into a storm drain from The Times’ Orange County plant, at Harbor Boulevard and Sunflower Avenue.

Costa Mesa Fire Capt. Steve Tiedeman said Times officials called authorities after tracing a pungent smell from the newspaper plant to a storm drain located south of South Coast Drive. Tiedeman said checks by Times employees and hazardous materials investigators revealed that the substance was Century Black Developer, which is used to make printing press plates.

Times employees immediately closed a dike to prevent more of the substance from entering the flood control system while fire officials worked to contain the discharge. A private contractor was expected to begin cleaning up the release Tuesday night, Times spokeswoman Laura Morgan said.

Fire Capt. Dick Tiziani said the substance was mildly acidic, and its vapors could cause nausea and eye irritation. He said Fire Department officials could not determine how many gallons of the substance entered the drain, adding that The Times uses 100 gallons of the developer in its daily operation.

Morgan said a private contractor involved in a recent expansion project at the newspaper plant apparently accidentally diverted the discharge to the storm drain instead of the sewer system.