CalArts Evacuated After Fumes Spread

More than 1,100 students and faculty members were evacuated Thursday afternoon from the main building at Cal/Arts in Valencia after students painting a film set spread toxic fumes throughout the building, authorities said.

The only reported injury was to a maintenance worker overcome by fumes, who was treated at Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital in Valencia and released.

Students at the visual and performing arts school were painting a set with a fiberglass resin material on the fourth floor shortly after noon when the incident occurred, school spokeswoman Anita Bonnell said. The fumes from the paint--which Bonnell said the students should not have used in an enclosed area--spread throughout the building through the air vents, she said.