UPDATE: Condos Evacuated When Resident Spills Ant Killer

Police and fire officials responded Thursday afternoon to an eight-unit condominium complex in unincorporated Murrieta to investigate a pesticide spill.

Firefighters were called to the scene just before 5:30 p.m. at Montego Bay, off Townview near Murrieta Hot Springs Road.

Less than a quart of pesticide spilled in one of the unit's garages, but residents reported heavy fumes and called for help, according to Jody Hagemann with Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department.

"They did the right thing," Hagemann said.

Three county fire crews responded to the complex, as did sheriff's deputies and an American Medical Response ambulance.

Hagemann said there were no injuries and residents declined to be transported for medical treatment.

As of 6:40 p.m., a group of firefighters donned protective gear and masks to evaluate the spill.

The gate at Pelican Bay and Townview was closed to residents, but was reopened by about 7 p.m.

The spill first came to the attention of authorities when a resident called police at about 4:15 p.m. complaining of a strong smell coming from their neighbor’s house in the 30200 block of Pelican Bay, according to Riverside County sheriff’s Sgt. Joe Greco.

“When the officers arrived they found a strong smell coming from the garage and determined that the resident had broken a bottle of Malathion, which is an insecticide,” Greco said. “They contacted the manufacturer who recommended that they evacuate, and said the chemicals were dangerous and we needed to call up Hazmat for the cleanup...And that is what we did...And they cleaned up that garage.”

A total of five units were evacuated while the cleanup was conducted.
Some residents who complained of nausea were treated on scene by paramedics who were summoned by the sheriff’s department, Greco said.

The resident who spilled the chemical—he wished to remain unidentified—described it as “ant killer” and said he uses it for work.

The chemical is legal, Greco said, but he advised using caution with it.

The resident who notified authorities of the fumes did “the right thing,” Greco said.

—Toni McAllister contributed to this report.