Harbor Village Apartments

Some angry and scared Huntington Harbour-area apartment residents who live next to a crude-oil processing plant are blaming it for body rashes, breathing difficulties and headaches they say they are suffering. The plant's owner, Unocal, on Thursday night sent representatives, including a company doctor, to meet with residents. Unocal officials told the residents they are concerned about the health complaints, but they denied that the plant is causing the problems.

Some angry and scared Huntington Harbour-area apartment residents who live next to a crude-oil processing plant are blaming it for body rashes, breathing difficulties and headaches they say they are suffering. The plant's owner, Unocal, on Thursday night sent representatives, including a company doctor, to meet with residents. Unocal officials told the residents they are concerned about the health complaints, but they denied that the plant is causing the problems.

A spokeswoman for the South Coast Air Quality Management District said Tuesday that the agency is investigating complaints from residents that a Unocal processing plant is making them sick. "We are always interested when people have (air pollution) complaints, especially when people have health concerns," said Paula Levy, a spokeswoman for the air quality agency. She said the AQMD will review the work of an independent firm hired by Unocal to do a health study of the area.

A 30-year-old mentally disabled man died late Thursday night after he was found in a bathtub at a private group care facility, police said. Mark Barrett, who reportedly had a history of seizures, was discovered unconscious in the bathtub about 9 p.m. by one of his roommates, police said. He was living in an apartment in the 2500 block of Santa Catalina Drive with five other disabled people and two staff members.