According to Assistant Fire Chief Dustin Lazenby, the spill was reported at 4:43 p.m. October 16 on the 600 block of South Palm Avenue, on property owned by the city and leased to Patriot Environmental Services.

“It was reported that it was a spill of an unknown substance,” said Lazenby. 

“We had our units respond,” as well as the Ventura County Fire Hazardous Materials Team. 

Ventura County Environmental Health also responded to the scene of the spill, located just south of Santa Maria Street.

The spill of up to 500 gallons was from a “vacuum type truck,” and Lazenby said a sampling determined that the contents were “Material that had been taken out of storm drains…it was determined not to be hazardous but the incident was turned over to,” county Environmental Health. 

Lazenby said the agency is “following up to make sure the area was cleaned up properly…they will also determine how the spill occurred and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Last year the city leased adjoining property to Santa Clara Waste Water – Green Compass that was found to contain illegally stored chemicals and possibly hazardous waste. The discovery was made following the November 18 explosions and fire at the SCWW waste water processing facility located west of the city on Mission Rock Road.

Seven SCWW – Green Compass officials were later indicted on various criminal charges stemming from the incident that injured more than 50 people. Also injured were three Santa Paula Firefighters who have not yet returned to work after exposure to toxic materials. A city fire engine was also declared a loss.