Acid Cloud Injures 5 in Westminster

Five people in Westminster were hospitalized with respiratory problems Thursday after being overcome by a cloud of nitric acid, authorities said.

The fumes were created by a merchant trying to extract silver from ore by mixing nitric acid and another chemical, said Capt. Kirk Summers of the Orange County Fire Authority.

Four men and a woman were taken to West Anaheim Medical Center for treatment of headaches and shortness of breath, Summers said.

The incident occurred about 10:30 a.m. at an industrial building in the 7600 block of Garden Grove Boulevard. Fire officials did not provide any more details about the merchant or why he was extracting silver.

“It started to react, and he added water to it, which created a great big orange cloud,” Summers said.

The cloud floated through the industrial complex, which contains three businesses. The fumes caused breathing problems for three roofers working in the area and a man and a woman at a business next door.

OSHA officials are investigating, and ordered the merchant to cease operation because he was not licensed or trained to work with hazardous chemicals, Summers said.

It took 20 firefighters about an hour to control the chemicals.