On Monday, March 24, at 11:57 AM, 5 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 6 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Hazardous Materials Team, 1 EMS Battalion Captain, 1 Battalion Chief Officer Command Team and 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, a total of 46 Los Angeles Fire Department personnel under the direction of Battalion Chief Michael Thomas, responded to a Hazardous Materials Investigation at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood.
Summoned by security staff at the Hollywood & Highland Center, Firefighters arrived quickly to reports of one or more spilled and fuming products within a custodial storage room in a non-public area of the large retail and entertainment complex.
According to witnesses, shelving had collapsed with the concrete walled room, allowing as many as 50 gallons of liquids to comingle and create vapor, which dissipated shortly after Firefighters arrival.
After securing an essential perimeter and establishing Incident Command, first arriving LAFD crews summoned a Fire Department HazMat Squad and prepared for their operations. There was no need for formal evacuation, and no direct impact or involvement with the adjacent Kodak Theatre or Metro Red Line subway.
Three adult male maintenance workers, ages 26,50 and 53 later verbalized subjective complaints of respiratory irritation, dizziness or shortness of breath, and following on-scene treatment, were transported to area hospitals in good condition. It was not immediately clear if they had been exposed to the aforementioned fumes.
LAFD HazMat experts determined there to be no escalating hazard, and after stabilizing the scene, turned the location over to officials from the County of Los Angeles Fire Department, Health Hazardous Materials Division to handle to conclusion.