Local News in Brief : Irvine : 100 Hughes Employees Evacuated After Spill
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About 100 employees were evacuated from Hughes Aircraft Co. about 8:15 a.m. Tuesday, when 100 gallons of copper chloride leaked out of a rooftop pipe, authorities said.
The Orange County Fire Department’s hazardous-materials team contained the spill within 1 1/2 hours by soaking up the chemical with absorbent bags, which were then taken to a hazardous-waste dump.
Fire officials said that corrosion apparently caused the pipe to break and the chemical to leak.
“It was a small, minor spill,” firefighter Eric Thornson said. “It’s not really that dangerous of a chemical.”
Copper chloride is considered harmful to people only if it is swallowed, but it is considered dangerous to aquatic life. Firefighters prevented the chemical from getting into the storm drain and local waters, Thornson said.
The chemical is used in the manufacturing of aircraft parts at the connecting-devices division of Hughes in the 17100 block of Von Karman Avenue.
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