The State - News from March 1, 1988

Two workmen were critically burned and five others were less seriously injured when a valve on an ammonia tank failed at a Riverside food firm. The accident at Loma Linda Foods led to traffic snarls and the four-hour evacuation of residents from 25 homes on three adjacent streets. Fire officials, who did not release the names of the victims, said the two critically injured workers were on the roof of the plant, checking a refrigeration unit and the supply line to a 1,000 gallon ammonia tank when the valve failed. The five others were hospitalized for respiratory problems. They included two plant workers and three neighborhood residents, authorities said.