Southern California Supermarket Has Toxic Spill

November 5, 2009

Fire officials say six people, including four firefighters, were taken Tuesday to a hospital because of a toxic spill inside a supermarket in Irvine.

Orange County Fire Authority Captain Greg McKeown said firefighters were called to the Ralphs market at about 7 p.m. on Tuesday. They noticed a haze of toxic fumes inside the store and determined that the chemical Freon was leaking from a refrigerator.

McKeown says four firefighters and two other people began to feel sick from inhaling the fumes and were taken to a hospital. All are expected to recover.

Firefighters are using fans to air out the building so crews can enter and make repairs.