Industry Ca

County and city officials Wednesday dedicated a new county fire station, saying the state-of-the art facility will reduce response time to local emergencies. Industry Mayor Dave Winn, aided by county Fire Chief P. Michael, sliced the ribbon in ceremonies complete with gleaming firetrucks and attended by more than 125 residents, firefighters and officials.

An industrial acid cloud leaked from a 55-gallon drum Monday, forcing about 125 people to flee businesses, but no injuries were reported, county fire officials said. The cloud that sent the employees of Applied Solar and five downwind businesses into the streets leaked out when the two acids ate through a plastic liner and reacted to the metal of the barrel. The acids were a combination of nitric hydrochloric acid and acetic acid, which is vinegar.

A hydrochloric acid spill Thursday outside a chemical plant in Industry sent nearly two dozen people to hospitals complaining of shortness of breath and nausea, authorities said. None of the injuries appeared serious, authorities said. More than 200 gallons of the acid spilled from a tanker during an on-site transfer at All Pure Chemical Co. in the 13200 block of Amar Road, a county fire official said .

A City of Industry Realtor said he is being driven away from his business by bare breasts and bananas. Pat Young, owner of a 100-employee Century 21 office, said this week he sold his business to another franchise owner and is packing his bags to get away from the Hawaii Theater, a juice bar and topless club that shares the Turnbull Plaza parking lot.

The city of Industry could soon be known as the dairy city, inasmuch as the producers of Knudsen products have announced that they will build one of the largest milk and juice plants west of the Mississippi. Santee Industries Inc. has purchased 26 acres in the Rowland Industrial Estate, where it plans to construct a $55-million plant, said Jim Center of Grubb & Ellis, who represented the firm.

He's tall. He's imposing. And he fights crime. But don't expect to see Sgt. Kelly Matthews outside during a storm: rain makes him soggy. So, in a valiant rescue effort Tuesday, City of Industry sheriff's deputies climbed a narrow steel ladder to the roof of the city's new Wal-Mart store, grabbed Matthews and saved the paper and plywood sergeant from impending rain.