Thu, 2016-10-20 23:45
MEDIA RELEASE
Incident Number: 16-0077862
Information Contact: Kris McDonald, Battalion Chief
Incident Type: Hazardous Materials Incident / Mass Casualty Incident
Date/Time of Incident: 10/20/2016, 4:10 PM - 9:15 PM
Incident Location: Ventura County Medical Center, 3291 Loma Vista Rd, Ventura, CA
Cause: Accidental Spill of a Chemotherapy Solution
Injuries: 3 people transported, 52 assessed
Fire Personnel: 38
Fire Units: 2 ALS Engine Companies, 1 BLS Engine Company, 3 Battalion Chiefs, 3 Hazardous Materials Units, 1 Light and Air Unit, 1 Fire Inspector, 1 Fire Marshal
Agencies Involved: Ventura City Fire Department, Ventura County Fire Department, Oxnard Fire Department, Santa Paula Fire Department, Ventura County EMSA, Ventura Police Department, American Medical Response, Ventura County Environmental Health
Ventura City Fire Department units responded to reports of a non-radiological chemotherapy solution accidentally spilled within a cancer treatment facility. The facility, located on the 5th floor of a new outpatient services building, is part of the Ventura County Medical Center hospital complex. The immediately affected area was isolated, and a precautionary evacuation of the entire 5th floor initiated, by facility personnel prior to the arrival of first responders.
The first arriving companies coordinated with facility staff to establish exclusion zones and site access control, control the air handling systems within the building to prevent further proliferation of the vapors, and to establish a casualty collection point for the triage and treatment of exiting patients. It was quickly determined that the entire building must be evacuated, due to reports of chemical odor present on other floors. A Level-III MCI (mass casualty incident) was declared given the number of patients and potential patients involved.
A total of 52 employees and patients were triaged and evaluated at the scene having been potentially exposed to vapors released by the product. None of those evaluated were determined to be contaminated with the product. 3 patients, having minor medical complaints, were transported to a nearby emergency department by ambulance.
The incident prompted a regional hazardous material team response that included Ventura City, Oxnard, and Ventura County Fire Departments. After careful technical evaluation of the chemical product(s) present, and any potential hazards that could be encountered, a monitored entry was performed by hazmat team personnel. The entry team further contained the product using absorbent pads, encountering a liquid spill area of approximately 2’x2’, and gathered further intel which would assist clean-up crews in creating a definitive mitigation plan.
Scene control was ultimately turned over to Environmental Health, facility administrators, and a private contractor who would then properly clean up and dispose of the product. No physical injuries were reported at the time of this release.
Due to HIPAA we are prevented from disclosing an individual’s protected health information (PHI). We may not release information regarding patient’s names, DOB, address, SS# or medical status.