White Smoke, Strong Odor In LA After Chemical Building Leak

GLENDALE, CA — White smoke billowed into the sky Thursday morning in Los Angeles due to a chemical leak at a building in the city's Atwater Village neighborhood.

A hazardous materials alert was issued by the Los Angeles Fire Department around 9 a.m. Thursday on West Electronics Place, near West San Fernando Road.

Firefighters were initially called for an automatic fire alarm, but there was no fire, the fire department said. First responders upgraded the call to a hazmat response and asked for more help.

The building is home to Huntsman Chemical, the fire department said, and there was an incident as a product was being moved, which resulted in a leak.

Firefighters later said a metal vessel was being prepared for packaging and distribution when a small valve broke, releasing gas into the air and creating a small cloud that "rapidly dissipated."

"There was no fire, no explosion, no injuries and no medical complaints," the fire department said. The building was evacuated as a precaution.

Hazmat firefighters entered the building using special gas meters and determined there was no threat and no concerning readings.

"Residents in the area detecting an unusual odor have been recommended to shelter in place (closing doors and windows)," the fire department said. "If they wish to leave the area, the recommended direction of travel is South of the incident (location is shown in the map link in this alert).

The incident was downgraded.

According to the company's website, Huntsman Corp. is a publicly traded manufacturer and marketer of specialty chemicals. Huntsman earned about $8 billion in revenue last year and operates more than 70 manufacturing, R&D and operations facilities across roughly 30 countries. It employs about 9,000 associates.