Hazmat Incident in Vista, CA

The
San Diego County Sheriff's Department said 20 people in North County
have been hospitalized in North County.

Officials with the Rancho Santa Fe Fire Department said the people
who were in a building that houses Prudential Overall Supply Co. in the
2450 block of Ash Street had difficulty breathing. The company is
located in Vista near the San Marcos border. Prudential Overall Supply
cleans uniforms and towels, reported NBC 7/39.

Authorities said the incident began at about 9:30 a.m. and was
contained to the one building. No evacuations of nearby businesses have
been ordered, but employees working nearby have been urged to remain
inside their buildings.

A witness who works nearby said that employees from Prudential
Overall Supply called 911 after sulfuric acid and bleach were mixed and
people began reporting respiratory problems.

A dozen people who were experiencing breathing problems at a Vista industrial laundry facility have been taken to three hospitals, sheriff's Lt. Tony Giammarino said. Emergency crews are at the Prudential Overall Supply company on Ash Street about a half-mile east of Sycamore Avenue.

Giammarino said the victims apparently were exposed to chlorine/sulfuric acid. The first report of a problem was made around 8:40 a.m. Sheriff's deputies are providing traffic control and Vista Fire is overseeing the hazmat incident.