Cal Poly evacuates buildings for unidentified bubbling liquid. Turns out, it was water

Several Cal Poly buildings were evacuated, roads were closed and hazmat teams swept through a portion of campus on Monday after reports of a suspicious substance bubbling up in one of its parking lots.

The source of all the hubbub? A leaky water boiler.

Emergency crews evacuated three engineering buildings on campus shortly after noon for “an abundance of caution,” a Cal Poly Emergency Services department representative said soon after the evacuation.

California Boulevard and North Perimeter roads were closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic, while emergency crews investigated the strange substance.

Around 1 p.m., San Luis Obispo City Fire Department Chief Keith Aggson said there was a small toxic spill in the area where an unidentified yellowish substance was bubbling out of a pipe.

Upon examination, hazmat crews identified the substances as hot water from the central plant boiler. The cause of the leak is still being investigated.

The roads were soon reopened, and the buildings reopened by 3:30 p.m., according to a university representative.

Few students and staff were impacted by the evacuation because the campus was closed for Cesar Chavez Day on Monday. Students are expected to return to class Tuesday for the start of the spring quarter.

This story was originally published April 1, 2019 at 12:49 PM.