11 sent to hospital after ammonia leak at Southern California building

BUENA PARK, Calif. — An ammonia leak at a Southern California business sent 11 people to the hospital Friday morning, authorities said.

The leak was reported shortly before 9:15 a.m. in a commercial building in Buena Park, the Orange County Fire Authority said.

The building was evacuated and 12 people were decontaminated, with 11 being sent to hospitals where they were in stable condition, the fire authority said.

A hazardous materials team determined that the chemical released was ammonia, firefighters said.

Exposure to high levels of ammonia in the air can irritate the skin, eyes, throat and lungs and cause coughing and burns, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There was no immediate word on what caused the leak.