Worker Falls in Chemical Vat; 9 Go to Hospital

Nine people were injured Thursday in a chemical accident at a Garden Grove wheel-manufacturing plant after a worker fell into a 14-foot-deep vat of cleaning solution, fire officials said.

The victim apparently became unconscious after hitting his head on a metal grate inside the vat, which contained tetrachloroethylene, a cleaning product, fire and company employees said.

A second employee at the firm, Roadster Wheels on Industry Street, suffered chemical burns in trying to rescue the man and later complained of breathing difficulty. Company officials said the victim was the owner’s son and the worker who came to his aid was his brother.

Both were taken to the burn center at UCI Medical Center in Orange.

The cleaning chemical is a colorless liquid used as a degreaser and drying agent. It is nonflammable and smells like ether. It is moderately toxic and an irritant to eyes and skin.

Five firefighters and two employees from an ambulance firm also were taken to a hospital after complaining of difficulty breathing and irritated skin.

The identities of those involved were not released, including the names of the brothers.

“You have to understand that this is an emotional time for us right now,” a company spokesman said. Both men remain hospitalized.

The first victim was too heavy--at about 300 pounds--for his brother to pull him out, authorities said. Firefighters tried to lift him out, but the walls of the vat were too high. Eventually they rigged a line over a beam above the vat to pull both men out, said Battalion Chief David Barlag.

The worker wore street clothes and had no protective clothing or equipment, which might have prevented or lessened his injuries, Barlag said.

In addition to police, Cal/OSHA was investigating the accident to determine how and why the man had fallen.