Explosion Sends Toxic Smoke Over Santa Paula

[5:00 p.m.] Mandatory evacuations reduced to all residents within 1/2 mile from 815 Mission Rock Road.

[4:52 p.m.] All residents previously under a “shelter in place” order are free to resume their normal activity.

[2:19 p.m.] Highway 126 is now open between Peck Road and Wells Road. The Briggs Road westbound on-ramp is open but the off-ramps remain closed. The Briggs Rd. overpass is closed to traffic.

Mission Rock Road remains closed.

[1:19 p.m.] Ventura County emergency officials held a press conference and gave the following information: The name of the facility where the explosion occurred is Santa Clara Waste Water Co.

Jim Wada, hazmat supervisor for Ventura County Environmental Health said the truck involved in the explosion was hauling a mixture of waste products when it exploded while coming in to the facility.

Ventura County Fire Capt. Mike Lindbery said the explosion scattered some type of organic peroxide that “began to crystallize and spontaneously ignite.”

Steve Carroll with the Ventura County Emergency Medical Services said they have 28 patients and walk-ins to the hospital complaining of minor irritated eyes and throat.

Ventura County Sheriff’s spokesperson, Monica McGrath, said this could “be a potential criminal investigation.”

Stay tuned for the latest updates.

[12:36 p.m.] A fire coninues to burn after approximately 1,000 gallons of organic peroxide spilled when a truck exploded Tuesday morning near Santa Paula. More than two dozen people were treated for minor injuries. A 1-mile evacuation order remains in place around the site of the fire.

[12:06 p.m.] School closures: Briggs School, on 14438 W. Telegraph Road and Olivelands Elementary School at 12465 Foothill Road in Santa Paula.

[11:51 a.m.] Mission Rock Road is closed to all traffic until further noticed.

[11:26 a.m.] Authorities have put out a mandatory evacuation. All residents within one mile of 815 Mission Rock Road.

Shelter in place for all residents within 2-3 miles from 815 Mission Rock Rd.

[9:16 a.m.] Approximately a 1,000 gallons of an unknown product have been spilled after the rear of a vacuum truck exploded Tuesday morning near Santa Paula and two injuries were reported, officials said.

The Ventura County Fire Department along with other agencies responded about 3:45 a.m. near the 800 block of Mission Rock Road, officials said.

Two people were reported with injuries and at least one was taken to Ventura County Medical Center with unknown injuries, officials said.

An exclusion zone had been set up by 5 a.m. and workers from Ventura City and county, as well as hazardous material crews, and Oxnard and Santa Paula fire departments were on scene assisting with the situation, officials said.

No road closures were known about or how large the exclusion zone was but the area should be avoided, officials said.

It was unknown what the contents of the spilled were as of 6 a.m. but the initial report from the driver said it was possibly sewage, officials said.

The cause of the explosion was under investigation, officials said. As of 5 a.m. three engines, three hazmat units, one ambulance and additional units were on scene.