SPFD: No one seriously hurt
in unusual incident
at community bank
October 07, 2015
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
An odd incident sent four people to the hospital Thursday after they became ill while working at a community bank.
According to Santa Paula Fire Chief Rick Araiza, the incident occurred shortly before 9 a.m. October 1 when firefighters responded to a report of an “unknown odor” at Santa Paula Community Bank located in the 500 block of West Harvard Boulevard.
Upon arrival firefighters found “One patient,” a bank employee, “completely out of it…disorientated, couldn’t stand up,” that had been in the bank’s vault with a second employee who reported feeling “tingling.”
In all, four people complained of symptoms and were transported by ambulance to the hospital, with two taken to Santa Paula Hospital and the others to Ventura County Medical Center.
The manager he added, “Complained of a headache but stuck around…” to take care of business including to close the bank — which had been ordered cleared — until the cause of the employees’ illness could be determined.
SPFD personnel tested the building and did not find “any gases of any kind,” said Araiza.
But thermal detectors did find heat near one of the ballasts charging fluorescent lighting.
A heating and air conditioning professional as well as an electrician were called to the scene and it was finally determined that the light had shorted out and the burning ballast, which was of plastic material, had melted causing the insulation around the wiring to also melt.
Araiza said “Since it was up lighting once it burned up it started to melt and dripped down on itself…the baffle transformer for fluorescent lighting,” which surrounds the unit, “usually has a pretty significant smell,” when it burns, “but this one didn’t…and the oil or plastic that was burning got sucked into the vent system,” affecting those in the enclosed vault most seriously.
But, he added, not from toxic fumes: “It was non-toxic but more from a lack of oxygen.”
All those taken to the hospital were treated and released.
Said Araiza, “It was very strange, something we couldn’t figure out at first,” especially since those complaining of illness showed signs they could have been exposed to “carbon monoxide…but the water heater is electric. We were baffled for a little while.”
Although the bank remained closed Thursday while the cause of the incident could be found and repairs made, Araiza said the employee “Most disorientated was back at work the next day,” but the incident itself was noteworthy.
“Firefighters knew it was something unusual when they got there,” and notified Araiza who also responded to the scene.
And, said Araiza, “It definitely was unusual…it was considered a multi-casualty incident with three ambulances transporting people that thankfully were not seriously injured. Actually, it was a good little training drill and the engine companies did a great job.”
