An industrial accident at a cement plant sent up a dust cloud over Yreka on Tuesday morning, prompting Siskiyou County officials to temporarily ask residents to stay indoors.
The cement plant, located in the southeast section of the city, experienced some type of incident, according to county officials. Shortly after 8:30 a.m., residents were asked to shelter in place because of the presence of airborne cement particles.
Video from an Alert California camera overlooking Yreka showed the cloud spread across the landscape and eventually dissipate.
“Turn off AC units, keep doors and windows closed. Limit outdoor activities. The cause of this incident is not known at this time. Additional information will be issued as it becomes available,” the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
The city — located roughly 260 miles north of Sacramento, near the Oregon border — was under a shelter-in-place order for less than an hour, according to Sage Milestone of the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office.
“The alert was issued out of an abundance of caution,” Milestone said. “The concern was that in large concentrates the particles would be hazardous. But the cloud has since dissipated.”
Residents were advised that any particles that settled on vehicles or outdoor structures were safe to wash away.
Siskiyou County officials said they would release more information regarding the incident.
