Jet dumps fuel that lands on schoolkids near Los Angeles
CUDAHY, Calif. — A mist of fuel dumped by an airliner with an engine problem as it made an emergency return to Los Angeles International Airport fell on several schools Tuesday, causing minor skin and lung irritation to 56 children and adults, officials said.
The fuel sprayed out of the plane in two lines and the strong-smelling vapor descended at midday in the city of Cudahy and nearby parts of Los Angeles County, about 13 miles east of the airport.
The vapor fell on five elementary schools, but all injuries were minor and no one was taken to hospitals, Los Angeles County Fire Department Inspector Sky Cornell said. It didn’t force any evacuations.
“That’s a great sign,” Cornell said.
All the fuel evaporated very quickly and nothing flammable remained in the air or on the ground, he said.
People were treated with soap and water, Fire Inspector Henry Narvaez said.
Shortly after takeoff, Delta Air Lines Flight 89 to Shang
Grandmother Teresa Santoya (left) consoles student Marianna Torres (center), 11, as she cries as she evacuates Park Avenue Elementary School after jet fuel fell on the school in Cudahy, Calif. hai “experienced an engine atomizes and disperses before Park Avenue, and 12 at 93rd issue requiring the aircraft to it reaches the ground.” Street. The rest of those affected return quickly to LAX. The The Flightaware website’s were at other schools. aircraft landed safely after flight track showed the jet The school district said in release of fuel, which was took off over the ocean and a statement that paramedics required as part of normal made an immediate right were immediately called to procedure to reach a safe turn toward land and circled treat anyone complaining of landing weight,” the company back over Southern California “skin irritation or breathing said in a statement. The to approach the airport problems” and that its environmental airline did not release details from the east. health and safety about the engine problem. Delta said it was in touch office also responded.
The Federal Aviation Administration with the airport and Fire DePark Avenue sixth-grader said it is investigating. partment and shared “concerns Diego Martinez said he and regarding reported minor injuries his classmates were outside
“There are special fuel-dumpto adults and children.” for physical education class ing procedures for aircraft The Los Angeles Unified when they saw the airplane operating into and out of any School District said its Park flying low overhead. major U.S. airport,” the FAA Avenue Elementary campus “It was very close,” he said. said in a statement. “These in Cudahy and 93rd Street Shortly afterward, the air procedures call for fuel to Elementary had “direct impacts filled with the pungent odor be dumped over designated from the fuel.” of fuel. unpopulated areas, typically Cornell said 31 children “It was very strong, the at higher altitudes so the fuel and adults were affected at odor,” the 12-year-old said.
Elizabeth Warren stood behind her charge that Bernie Sanders said a woman could not defeat Donald Trump, making an energetic case for a female nominee in a Tuesday night Democratic debate that raised gender as a core issue in the sprint to the Iowa caucuses.
“Look at the men on this stage. Collectively they have lost 10 elections,” Warren exclaimed, noting that she and Sen. Amy Klobuchar had won every election they ever ran.
Sanders firmly denied Warren’s accusation and said it was “incomprehensible” to believe he would suggest a woman couldn’t become the president.
“Of course a woman can win,” he said. “I don’t know that that’s the major issue of the day.”
Just six candidates gathered in Des Moines, each eager to seize a dose of finaldays momentum on national television before Iowa’s Feb. 3 caucuses. The sudden “hesaid, she-said” dispute over gender involving two longtime allies, Sanders and Warren, loomed over the event, though it was not a focus in
DES MOINES, Iowa —
the debate’s earliest moments.
Specifically, Warren charged publicly on the eve of the debate that Sanders told her during a private 2018 meeting that he didn’t think a woman could defeat Trump, a claim tinged with sexism that Sanders vigorously denied. Amid an immediate uproar on the left, there were signs that both candidates wanted to deescalate the situation.
The feuding on other topics, including war and foreign policy expanded to include nearly every candidate on stage by night’s end.
Sanders has recently stepped up his attacks on former Vice President Joe Biden over Biden’s past support of the Iraq War, broad free-trade agreements and entitlement reform, among other issues. Minnesota Sen. Klobuchar, who has had several strong debates, looked for opportunities as she remained mired in the middle of the pack in polling. Billionaire Tom Steyer faced criticism that he’s trying to buy his way to the White House.
And with two surveys showing Pete Buttigieg losing support in Iowa, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, needed a breakout moment to regain strength before the caucuses.