Chlorine Leak Forces Angels Camp Evacuation

Breaking News from the KVML Newsroom…

Angels Camp residents in the area of Centennial Lane are being ordered to evacuate or stay inside their homes as a chlorine leak at the Angels Camp Water Treatment plant is spewing the chemical into the air above that city this evening.

Angels Camp city officials have ordered a precautionary evacuation of about 50 homes in the area of the treatment plant.

Members of the Office of Emergency Services haz mat team has tried to stop the leak on a one of two 150 pound chlorine cylinders at the plant. The cylinders are located inside one of the treatment plant buildings.

Angels Camp City Administrator Tim Shearer says there is a very high concentration of chlorine inside the building and that is hampering the efforts of crews to stop the leak. He says they are planning to go in and try to pull the leaking cylinder from the building and close off the seeping chlorine.

Shearer says law enforcement and fire officials are enforcing the evacuation at this time.

The evacuation is affecting about 40 to 50 homes in the area south of downtown. An evacuation center has ben set up at the fire station at Monte Verde in Angels Camp.

Shearer wasn´t sure when residents would be allowed back into their homes.