MEC&F Expert Engineers : An unloading accident caused an acid spill that prompted the evacuation of a Starkist Foods canning facility in Eastvale, CA where 15 workers were sent to the hospital for treatment of inhalation problems

Saturday, June 11, 2016

An unloading accident caused an acid spill that prompted the evacuation of a Starkist Foods canning facility in Eastvale, CA where 15 workers were sent to the hospital for treatment of inhalation problems


EASTVALE, CAL: Acid spill sends 15 Starkist workers to hospital (UPDATE)





By RICHARD BROOKS / STAFF WRITER
Published: June 9, 2016 Updated: 7:25 p.m.

An unloading accident caused an acid spill that prompted the evacuation of a Starkist Foods canning facility in Eastvale where 15 workers were sent to the hospital for treatment of inhalation problems, say Riverside County Fire Department officials.

A firefighter also went to the hospital with unspecified minor injuries not related to breathing difficulty, officials said.

Roughly 40 gallons of concentrated cleaning acid spilled about 2:45 p.m. Thursday, June 9, at the sprawling facility at 12450 Philadelphia Avenue, just east of Milliken Avenue. The area is in the northeast corner of the city, nearly a mile northwest of Interstate 15 and Highway 60.

"They were off-loading (the acid) with a forklift from a trailer at loading dock," said Capt. Lucas Spelman. "One of the forklift arms pierced the bottom of the blue, plastic container."

The crews of five fire engines and a ladder truck were dispatched to the incident, along with county health department and fire department hazardous materials teams. By 5:25 p.m., the spill had been contained and the cleanup was beginning, allowing officials to lift the evacuation.