Birds Rescued After Vandals Let Chemicals Into Channel

About 200 birds that live in the murky trash-strewn tidal zone called the Dominguez Channel were taken to a rescue center after an act of vandalism released thousands of gallons of industrial chemicals into a storm drain, officials said.

Investigators suspect that someone broke into a chemical transport company yard in unincorporated county territory near Carson on Saturday night and opened the valves on four tanker trucks, California Department of Fish and Game officials said.

About 24,500 gallons of rubbing alcohol, liquid plastic, photocopier toner and oil waste flowed into the drain and on to the channel, said Reginald Lathan, president of Chemtrans, the company that owns the trucks.

“This is someone who knew exactly what they were doing and how to do it,” said Lathan, adding that he is paying for the cleanup.

While Fish and Game biologists said the spill harmed the birds, they said it had minimal environmental impact on the channel, which sits like a sump in the shadow of the Arco refinery and the San Diego and Harbor freeways.

“It’s not the Bolsa Chica wetlands,” said James L. Rolin, an oil spill prevention specialist with the department. “There are no endangered birds or animals.”

On Tuesday afternoon, crews were winding down their efforts to skim the water and trap the hazardous chemicals with inflatable booms while mud hens, great blue herons and egrets stood by. Rolin said that some of the chemicals undoubtedly reached Los Angeles Harbor, but by then they would have been considerably diluted.