(The following story by John F. Berry appeared on The Press-Enterprise website on December 31.)
RIALTO, Calif. — No evacuations were ordered and no roads were closed Monday after a small amount of sulfuric acid leaked from a Union Pacific Railroad tanker car in Rialto, officials reported.
Union Pacific spokesman James Barnes said the acid — a thick goop which sticks to surfaces — never touched the ground.
The leaked acid, which was estimated at 5 gallons, was cleaned up within hours of the initial 9 a.m. report.
A Rialto Fire Department report said the leak resulted from mechanical failure involving a valve at the top of the tanker car.
Repairs were made and the tanker was back in service without incident by 1 p.m., the news release said.
After the leak was reported, hazardous-material crews from Union Pacific and the Rialto Fire Department responded to Union Pacific’s West Colton Classification Yard near Slover Avenue.
Crews entered the area wearing protective chemical gear, Rialto fire Capt. Brian Park said.
Before assessing the damage, crews determined whether the damaged car could be repaired or if they needed to transfer the estimated 130,000 gallons of sulfuric acid to a second tanker car.
Sulfuric acid is a corrosive chemical, he said.
The acid can cause severe burns and can damage respiratory organs.