SLO County road closed, hotel evacuated after chemicals accidentally mixed

Emergency responders shut down a portion of Moonstone Drive and evacuated a hotel in Cambria on Thursday afternoon after a hazmat incident in the area.

Someone mixed muriatic acid and chlorine in the rear of Cypress Cove Inn in what appeared to be an accident, according to Cambria Fire Department Chief Michael Burkey.

The chemicals are commonly used to clean pool water, Burkey said.

When the two chemicals mix, they can cause respiratory issues for those who inhale them. Luckily, no one was injured in the incident, he said.

The Cambria Fire Department arrived on the scene at about 4:05 p.m. and evacuated 14 people from the hotel.

The San Luis Obispo County Hazmat Team then evaluated and cleaned up the chemical spill, according to Burkey. The chemicals were contained in the building and did not spill onto the street.

Emergency responders also closed a stretch of Moonstone Beach Drive from Waymouth Street to Highway 1 to avoid the public’s exposure to the chemicals. The road was closed from about 3:50 to 6 p.m.

“The crews did a great job,” Burkey said. “It was handled exactly the way a hazmat incident should be handled.”

Cal Fire, the San Luis Obispo County Environmental Health Department, an ambulance from the Cambria Community Healthcare District and county roads staff assisted with the incident.