A chemical leak at a Yorba Linda water treatment plant Thursday evening exposed five employees to hydrogen sulfide, but none were taken to a hospital.

Firefighters and a hazmat team responded to the plant in the 3900 block of Valley View Avenue about 9:30 p.m., and discovered the employees were exposed to a chemical used in the water treatment process, according to the Orange County Fire Authority.

Each of the five patients declined to be taken to a hospital, the OCFA said.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, hydrogen sulfide gas causes a wide range of health effects. Workers are primarily exposed to hydrogen sulfide by breathing it. The effects depend on how much hydrogen sulfide is breathed in and for how long. Exposure to very high concentrations can quickly lead to death.

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