# CAUFFMAN, JOHN
> **Judicial** · FY1981 · — · Final Order With Specified Cost Recovery
## Case
- **Activity ID:** `52028`
- **Case Number:** 09-1981-0001
- **Type:** Judicial
- **Lead:** EPA
- **Outcome:** Final Order With Specified Cost Recovery
- **Penalty assessed:** —
- **Cost recovery:** $1.05M
- **Compliance action $:** —
- **Multimedia (multi-env):** N
## Defendants
- AMERITONE PAINT COMPANY
- ASHLAND OIL, INC.
- BOYER, BILL G. (complaint) (settlement)
- BOYER, JUDY (complaint) (settlement)
- BOYERSEN PAINT CORPORATION
- CALIFORNIA, STATE OF
- CARRIER CORPORATION (complaint) (settlement)
- CAUFFMAN, FERN T.
- CAUFFMAN, JOHN R. (complaint) (settlement)
- CAUFFMAN, JOHN R., TRUSTEE (complaint) (settlement)
- CERRITOS VALLEY BANK (complaint) (settlement)
- DUNN EDWARDS CORPORATION
- DYNACHEM CORPORATION
- GENERAL DISPOSAL COMPANY
- INMONT CORPORATION (complaint) (settlement)
- INTER-COMMUNITY ESCROW CO.
- JOHNSON, WILLIAM L., AKA LARRY JOHNSON
- LUNA, HENRY (complaint) (settlement)
- MARATHON CARTAGE CORPORATION (complaint) (settlement)
- MARTIN, WILLIAM T.
- PHILLIP A HOMME COMPANY (complaint) (settlement)
- SANTA FE SPRINGS, CITY OF (complaint) (settlement)
- STANKEVICH, FRANK J., JR
- STANKEVICH, FRANK J., SR.
- UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION (complaint) (settlement)
## Summary

NATURE OF THE CASE:                                             ON 7/10/81, A CHEMICAL FIRE & EXPLOSION, REPORTEDLY     THE RESULT OF A FIRE BOMB, DESTROYED APPROX 12,000 OF THE    18,000 DRUMS STORED AT THE GENERAL DISPOSAL CO'S 1-ACRE      SITE IN THE METROPOLITAN LOS ANGELAS COMMUNITY OF SANTA      FE SPRINGS. THE DRUMS CONTAINED PAINT COMPONENTS, INDUST-    RIAL SOLVENTS & PESTICIDES, INCLUDING SOME 25 HAZ SUB-       STANCES. CONTAMINATED WATER FROM THE FIRE-FIGHTING FLOWED    THROUGH THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, CAUSED A MAJOR FISH    KILL IN A NEARBY CREEK & RESULTED IN THE CLOSURE FOR SEV-    ERAL DAYS OF SEAL BEACH ON THE PACIFIC OCEAN. SOME 57        POTENTIALLY RESPONSIBLE PARTIES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED &       GIVEN NOTICE OF THEIR POTENTIAL LIABILITY. PROMINENT IN      THAT LIST HAVE BEEN SITE OPERATOR, THE CURRENT SITE OWNER    , THE ORIGINAL SITE OWNER & 54 GENERATORS OF HAZ SUBSTAN-    CES. THERE WILL BE A CULLING OF THOSE GENERATORS BASED       UPON QUALIFICATION OF THE EVIDENCE AGAINST THEM. A STTL-     MNT HAS BEEN EXECUTED ALREADY W/INMONT CORP. INMONT WAS      THE PRINCIPAL GENERATOR RESPONSIBLE FOR 75 TO 90% OF THE     DRUMS ON SITE.                                                    ON 7/11/81, AT THE STATE'S REQUEST, EPA APPROVED AN     EMERGENCY EXPENDITURE OF $25,000 OF CWA SEC 311 MONEY TO     BEGIN EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACTIVITIES. ACTIVITIES INCLUDED     CONTAINMENT OF CONTAMINATED FIRE-FIGHTING WATER, RECOVERY    DRUMS & DEBRIS BLOWN OFF-SITE & SOME S

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