100 Evacuated After Chatsworth Solvent Spill
About 100 people were evacuated from several Chatsworth businesses after more than 100 gallons of a flammable solvent used by a pharmaceutical supply firm spilled into the street, authorities said Saturday. No one was injured.
Los Angeles fire officials said that 120 gallons of the solvent naphtha had leaked from a container at Banner Gelatin Products Corp., 20746 Dearborn St., by the time the Fire Department was called to the scene about 8:45 p.m. Friday.
The substance had been leaking for nearly two hours at a rate of about two gallons a minute, said Fire Department spokesman Paul Gutierrez.
About 70 gallons of the chemical flowed into storm drains and a concrete wash, authorities said. The substance was expected to evaporate before it reached ground water, Gutierrez said.
The flow of the remaining 50 gallons was stopped by dikes set up by firefighters and pumped into drums. Crews from the Los Angeles County Health Services Department were called to the scene to ensure people’s safety, he said.
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