NewsLocal NewsIn Your NeighborhoodBakersfield

Hydrochloric acid leak in East Bakersfield prompts brief shelter-in-place order

police siren light
Add KERO as a Google Preferred Source

UPDATE (9:50 a.m.): The Kern County Fire Department says the shelter-in-place order has been lifted and "no further advisories in place at this time."

The Bakersfield City School District said Mount Vernon Elementary School, which also sheltered in place during the emergency response, has resumed school activities after the situation was deemed safe by fire officials.

No additional details on the leak were released.


BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) – A shelter-in-place order took effect in East Bakersfield Wednesday morning as authorities respond to a hydrochloric acid leak.

Just after 8:20 a.m., the Kern County Fire Department issued this warning for residents in Zone KRN-421:

“A Hydrochloric Acid Leak has become a threat to an area within East Bakersfield. Exposure to this hazard may cause severe burns to skin or eyes, and vapors can be very irritating and corrosive. Residents within this are advised to go indoors, shut your doors and windows. Do not use your air-conditioner unit. Prepare to self-sustain until further notice and/or contacted by emergency personnel for additional direction.”

The shelter-in-place boundaries:

  • North of Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway
  • South of East California Avenue
  • East of Doctor Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
  • West of Mount Vernon Avenue
east_bakersfield_shelter_in_place_map_092326.png

Full map with zones: https://go.genasys.com/0m9pug.

Updates will be posted at https://www.facebook.com/readykern.

Bakersfield, CA

Weather

Daily Forecast

View Hourly Forecast

Day

Conditions

HI / LO

Precip

TuesdayTue

11/10/2026

Clear

-° / 51°

2%

WednesdayWed

11/11/2026

Clear

81° / 55°

0%

ThursdayThu

11/12/2026

Partly Cloudy

83° / 54°

2%

FridayFri

11/13/2026

Rain

72° / 55°

86%

SaturdaySat

11/14/2026

Partly Cloudy

65° / 48°

6%

SundaySun

11/15/2026

Partly Cloudy

69° / 50°

24%

MondayMon

11/16/2026

Showers

59° / 47°

69%

TuesdayTue

11/17/2026

Mostly Clear

58° / 43°

18%