New York Daily News – by NINA GOLGOWSKI
A “shelter in place” has been lifted in a Southern California neighborhood hours after a hazardous materials spill sickened and hospitalized residents and local employees, according to officials.
Approximately 200 people were exposed to a mixture of chemical gases that escaped from a Monrovia business in Los Angeles County just before noon, said city spokesperson Alexis Newell in an email.
“A manufacturing company (Air Logistics) on Railroad Avenue was batch mixing three chemicals and at some point there was an adverse reaction causing the chemicals to heat up and off gas into the air,” said Newell. “The chemicals were never unstable, but were superheated.”
At least 45 people reported symptoms including dizziness, chest pains, asthma, nausea and vomiting.
Authorities issued a shelter in place order for a Monrovia neighborhood after an unknown chemical odor apparently sickened some 150 employees at a business.
Nine people were hospitalized with two requiring immediate care and IV support, according to Newell.
In the earliest hours HazMats crews were seen working to try to identify the mystery chemicals since identified as Cyclo Aliphathic resin, Boron trifluoride, and Ancamine.
The Shelter in Place was for all residents and employees in the Railroad Avenue area.
BREAKING NEWS: Chemical odor has apparently sickened some 150 employees at a business in Monrovia. @NBCLA pic.twitter.com/WvaZCBTEnG
— Breaking News Feed (@pzf) December 9, 2013
ngolgowski@nydailynews.com