La Habra city council members received a public update on two significant incidents earlier this month: a chemical cloud that prompted temporary evacuations and a brush fire in La Habra Heights. While city officials still note that the cause of the chemical leak remains under investigation, a local company, Shepard Bros., took responsibility for the event.
On September 8 at 11:45 a.m., the La Habra Police Department began receiving calls about yellow and orange fumes emanating from the area of Cypress and Lambert. The Police Department, in conjunction with the LA County Fire Department, promptly identified a chemical leak.
Shepard Bros., a chemical manufacturer specializing in food and beverage safety, released a statement on September 11. The company described an isolated reaction that occurred during a scheduled production batch of a diluted acid cleaner used in food production cleaning. According to their statement, abnormally warm ambient temperatures led to an unanticipated oxidation reaction, which liberated nitric oxides (NOx).
During a September 21 council meeting, La Habra Police Chief Adam Foster and LA County Fire Division Four Assistant Chief Chris Siok provided an update on the response to the chemical cloud. Shepard Bros. reported evacuating 40 employees as a precautionary measure. Additionally, the La Habra Police Department assisted the La Habra City School District in evacuating Washington Middle School, located less than a mile from the manufacturing company. Police Chief Foster clarified that this evacuation was a determination by the police department, not an official order.
Assistant Chief Siok stated that approximately two dozen firefighters and eight units, including a hazmat task force, initially responded to the scene, with the total number of firefighters eventually reaching 37. The police and fire departments collaborated to isolate the leak and restrict access to the facility. An advisory for a one-mile radius around the facility was issued, and a "shelter-in-place" tactic was employed. Unified command posts were established south of the incident.
Councilmember Daren Nigsarian expressed gratitude for the handling of the incident at the council meeting, stating, "very well handled incidents. It was really very impressive."
This incident marks the second hazmat situation in Orange County this year, following an evacuation of over 50,000 residents in Garden Grove due to a chemical tank emergency. While Shepard Bros. officials maintained that the plume was not harmful, the swift evacuation of the middle school underscores the cautious approach taken by emergency responders.
During the same September 21 meeting, Police Chief Foster and Assistant Chief Siok also updated the city council on a separate brush fire that occurred in La Habra Heights on September 14. This fire burned approximately 17.2 acres, resulted in injuries to two individuals, and destroyed two homes and an outbuilding. Assistant Chief Siok explained that the fire was driven by steep topography and "receptive fuels that hadn't burned in probably over 80 years."
In response to the brush fire, the La Habra Police Department aided the city of La Habra Heights by closing Hacienda Road to manage traffic. Officers were also positioned for potential deployment to assist with evacuations if necessary. Officials reported that the fire was contained within about two hours, allowing officers to return to La Habra. The cause of the brush fire remains under investigation.
