Toxic Spills Discovered in Long Beach

Several hundred people were evacuated from two neighborhoods in Long Beach Saturday after four illegally dumped 55-gallon drums were discovered leaking a highly toxic and combustible chemical known as dimethyl phenol, police said.

Residents of about 30 homes were evacuated in each neighborhood--located about four miles apart--while hazardous material teams cleaned up the spills, which occurred in alleys near the 100 block of Eldridge Street and the 200 block of Eleanor Lane, said Sgt. Dennis Webster. Two drums of the substance were found in each neighborhood.

No injuries were reported, he said. Residents were allowed to return to their homes late Saturday after the clean up was completed.

Webster said police suspect the illegally dumped drums contained industrial waste, but investigators had not determined the source. The chemical, also known as xylenol, is used as a disinfectant, solvent and fungicide for pharmaceuticals and dyestuffs.

In a possibly related incident, three drums of hazardous material, believed to be methylene chloride, were found in an alley in nearby Signal Hill on Friday. Four police officers exposed to fumes from those drums were treated at Long Beach Memorial Hospital for headaches and nausea, Signal Hill police said. On May 5, barrels of similar chemicals were found at 343 E. Esther St. in Long Beach.