UPDATED Ammonia Leak Contained at Del Mar Foods Processing Plant

An ammonia leak was detected at the Del Mar Foods processing plant at 1720 W. Beach St., at 4:54 Sunday morning.

Watsonville Fire responded to a call from First Alarm, notifying them of the pungent odor of ammonia coming from the engine room which controls the refrigeration units at Del Mar Foods Processing Plant. A detector in the engine room set off the initial alarm which First Alarm responded to.

A little less than one gallon of ammonia vapor leaked into the engine room, according to Captain Fernando Tapiz who was a first responder. Tapiz followed protocol to alert the County Environmental Health Department and the Santa Cruz County Hazardous Materials Team. 

Anhydrous ammonia is commonly used in large refrigeration units because it is more efficient than synthetic alternatives, and it doesn't deplete the ozone like some other chemicals like Freeon. It is extremely hazardous to the environment and to humans, especially when mixed with water. Lighter than air, ammonia depletes extremely fast in air.

The ammonia didn't get into the local water supply.

"It's not really such a problem once it's in the air but once it's mixed with water it's got a very high PH," said Rebecca Supplee, the Environmental Health Specialist who responded to the call at Del Mar Foods. "It would be more of a problem if it got into the water or into the swere system in Watsonville, which is a biological sewege system. If it got into the rivers and creeks it would definitely hurt and kill wildlife and living organisms."

Foggy conditions helped keep the leak from spreading towards the  and the leak was contained to one room, according to Tapiz. The area was cleared by 7 a.m., shortly after the plant engineer arrived and got the power turned on again.

"This one was actually quite contained to a small room, it didnt even go offsite. If the opperators at Del Mar Foods had gotten there first we probably wouldnt have known," Supplee said.

Watsonville police blocked off surrounding roads and the Red Roof Inn at nearby 1620 W. Beach St. was advised to turn off any heat or air conditioning and to close all windows and doors tightly. 

"We have have been dealing with these types of calls since we have had cold storage, so the guys here are pretty much on top of it. We know what to do and how to deal with it, and it went really well," said Tapiz, who is also a member of the county's Hazardous Materials Team. He and Capt. David Kikuchi who responded to the call with the SCHMIT or "The Haz Mat Team."

The First Alarm guard who made the initial call was admitted to the hospital for irritation from the ammonia exposure, and was unharmed, according to Tapiz. 

Dead birds reported by Elkhorn Slough this weekend are probably not directly related to the ammonia leak, according to Supplee and Sgt. Burt Iles of the Watsonville Police Department, because they were found the day before the leak was detected.