Sixteen people were treated, including four who were hospitalized, after being affected by pepper spray deployed during a fight at a Home Depot in Covina Monday, authorities said.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department was called to some type of chemical spill at the store about 3 p.m., according to a spokesman.
Covina police were on scene at 963 W. Badillo St. (map), along with the Fire Department, after the pepper-spray incident, a tweet from a spokesman stated.
Fernando Rivera, 38, of Covina was arrested on suspicion of holding a quantity of pepper spray above the legal limit, Covina Police Department Lt. Dave Foster said.
Rivera used the pepper spray after getting into a fight with a man with whom he had a past business dispute, Forster said. Rivera said he was trying to defend himself, Foster said.
It was not clear if the other man involved in the altercation would be taken into custody.
Video from the scene showed dozens of orange apron-clad Home Depot workers in the parking lot outside the store, apparently affected by the pepper spray. At least one was placed on a stretcher.
The Fire Department initially stated on Twitter that 14 people were treated and two were hospitalized, but that figure was later updated.
A hazardous materials team determined area was safe, a Fire Department spokesman tweeted about 4:20 p.m.
The store was reopened by 5 p.m.