TAFT (AP) — Authorities ordered evacuations Wednesday after a chemical release at a manufacturing plant in a rural area of California’s San Joaquin Valley.
Emergency crews responded around noon following reports of a hazardous materials spill at Taft Manufacturing Co., the Kern County Fire Department said.
READ MORE: Stimulus Check Latest: When Could You See Another Economic Relief Payment?⚠️Taft Incident – Recommended Evacuations (Este es un mensaje de la emergencia. Para espanol, llame a 211. Gracias.) Taft Manufacturing at 19705 South Lake Road in Taft, CA has experienced a chemical release.
— Kern County Sheriff's Office (@KernCoSheriff) January 22, 2020
Hazardous materials teams “identified the source of the chemical leak and have stopped it,” the department later said on Twitter.
The department urged people who live or work within 6 miles (9.7 kilometers) of the facility to evacuate. There were no immediate reports of injuries.
The facility and a few other commercial sites are in the middle of a large expanse of agricultural fields between cities of Bakersfield and Taft.
Taft Mayor Dave Noerr told KGET-TV that the chemical acrolein was accidentally released at the plant. The chemical is used in the preparation of polyester resin and polyurethane.
#TaftIncident @kerncountyfire can confirm that all employees were safely evacuated from Taft Manufacturing. pic.twitter.com/FfuSNskwbH
READ MORE: Third Stimulus Check: Why Your Next Relief Payment May Not Be $1,400— Kern County Fire (@kerncountyfire) January 22, 2020
An evacuation center was set up at First Baptist Church in Taft, a city of about 9,000 people about two hours north of downtown Los Angeles.
Acrolien vapor may cause eye, nasal and respiratory tract irritations.
Taft College, which is about 10 miles (16 kilometers) west of the plant sent students home for the day.
@KCPublicHealth advises that if you are experiencing any eye irritation, difficulty breathing or throat irritation, immediately leave the area and seek medical attention.
For eye irritation flush your eyes with water for 15 minutes and seek immediate medical attention. pic.twitter.com/q9egZFgx1a— County of Kern (@CountyofKern) January 22, 2020
A phone message left at Taft Manufacturing was not immediately returned.
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