Vallejo chemical spill injures one

Firefighters responded to a spill of diluted sodium hydroxide at the Solano Community College campus in Vallejo Tuesday afternoon, Fire Chief Jack McArthur said.

The spill at the campus at 545 Columbus Parkway was reported around 1 p.m. One person suffered a burn on the hand but declined to go to a hospital, McArthur said.

The building where the spill occurred was evacuated and the first and second floors were closed until the spill was cleaned, McArthur said.

Sodium hydroxide, also known as lye and caustic soda, is a strong chemical found in industrial solvents and cleaners, including floor stripping cleaners and drain cleaners, and can cause breathing difficulties and burns.