A burst hydrogen peroxide line on the Chiquita Canyon landfill injured one particular person Friday night, based on the Los Angeles County Fireplace Division.
It wasn’t instantly clear if there was any ensuing injury on the Castaic facility, however hazardous-material groups from the Fireplace Division have been persevering with to wash up as of shortly earlier than 10 p.m., based on company spokesperson Craig Little.
Firefighters initially responded to studies of an explosion on the landfill at 7 p.m. Friday, however Little stated it was quickly decided there was no explosion or hearth. The difficulty was a mechanical failure of a small high-pressure hose throughout regular operations.
One landfill worker was taken to a hospital after the hose burst, Little stated, however the extent of that particular person’s accidents have been unknown.
He stated nobody else was injured within the incident.
Little stated the burst hose didn’t look like associated to any cleanup for a hearth burning contained in the landfill.
The U.S. Environmental Safety Company on Thursday ordered Chiquita Canyon to take quick steps to guard the setting and human well being, saying the smoldering facility poses an imminent hazard to close by communities because of hazardous liquid waste and noxious odors.
Scorching temperatures inside the dump have elevated and expanded since as early as Might 2022, when a heat-generating chemical response is estimated to have began deep within the landfill. The response has precipitated stress to construct inside the 639-acre facility at occasions, forcing contaminated, piping-hot water to burst onto the floor.
Federal environmental regulators have stated this polluted water has contained cancer-causing benzene above federal requirements. Officers and residents have additionally raised issues that poisonous fumes are drifting from the landfill to close by communities and that polluted water has been discharged into close by waterways.
Waste Connections Inc., the landfill operator, is attempting to sluggish and ultimately cease the chemical response by eradicating extra gases and liquid, based on landfill officers.
L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents communities surrounding Chiquita Canyon, stated continued incidents on the landfill like Friday’s “clearly sign {that a} main change in administration and management is required instantly.”
“I’ve misplaced religion that the continuing points with the landfill will ever be resolved except these lengthy overdue modifications are made,” she stated in an announcement.
The scenario at Chiquita Canyon is simply one of many county’s dumps going through elevated scrutiny.
Sunshine Canyon in Sylmar, the one landfill bigger than Chiquita Canyon in L.A. County, is coping with a special environmental disaster: Water intrusion has fueled micro organism development. The scenario has introduced months of putrid odors to surrounding communities.
It is a creating story. Occasions workers author Tony Briscoe contributed to this report.
