A suspicious odor had campers at the Coastal Dunes RV Park in Oceano concerned on May 19.
State Park employees detected the smell at about 8 a.m. coming from the maintenance yard, then notified the California Fire Department (CAL FIRE).
According to Brent Marshall, chief ranger of the Oceano Dunes District, the odor was traced to a partially filled 60-gallon canister of anhydrous ammonia.
As safety precautions dictated, a preemptive evacuation was initiated, the park rangers notified campers, and the beach was promptly closed. Health officials visited the site the following day, and after a thorough inspection determined there was no longer any danger. No injuries were reported during the incident.
A CAL FIRE report stated that the canister had been removed from the beach approximately
two weeks ago. Safety personnel were working on safely removing the container when it sprung a leak. According to CAL FIRE Public Information Officer Tony Ramirez, the container appears to have corroded, resulting in the leak.
Anhydrous ammonia is a colorless gas that has a sharp odor. This type of ammonia is typically used for agricultural processes, but it’s a dangerous substance when inhaled; too much can be lethal.
While Marshall stated it’s not clear where the container came from, the rangers are looking into its origins.
“It could be debris that washed up, but we can’t speculate at this time. We are still looking,” Marshall said.
This article appears in May 26 – Jun 2, 2011.
