Foam blob oozes from airport hangar

Travelers at the San Jose International Airport witnessed a strange scene Friday, as fire retardant foam spilled from a private hangar and filled surrounding streets.

Capt. Mitch Matlow, of the San Jose Fire Department, said there was a malfunction of the hangar's fire prevention system, which allowed the foam-creating material to spill and spread to nearby areas, according to The Associated Press.

One man rode his bicycle through the wall of foam, emerging covered head-to-toe in the substance. He said it smelled and felt like soap.

The "aqueous film-forming foam," which from a distance resembled snow, surrounded cars and was at one point high enough to almost overtake a stop sign. While much of it had dissipated by late Friday, crews were busy cleaning up what remained of the spill, as the chemical could pose a risk to wildlife, according to the Mercury News.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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