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3UNTY, CALIFORNIA from chemical Four Tracy Rural firefighters were overcome by hazardous chemical fumes early Friday morning while putting out a small brush fire near the Holly Sugar Co. plant. Tracy Rural Fire Capt. Ron Cotta was released Saturday from Tracy Community Memorial Hos- pital after spending Friday there for observation. "Cotta called when he found there was hazardous materials out there," Tracy Rural Fire Chief Jim Hughes said Sunday of the fire, which was reported shortly after midnight Friday. "He was already down when I got there, then I called the county Of- fice of Emergency Services." Three other firefighters, Jim Oliveria, Gary Staton and Pete Dax, were treated at TCMH and were released later Friday. Fire- fighter Daryl Pool, also overcome by the fumes, did not require medical attention. Ron Baldwin of the San Joa- quin County Emergency Services Department said the incident was under investigation and had been reported to the California Occupa- tional Safety and Health Admin- istration and other agencies. Baldwin said the chemical was being evaluated, but it may have been sulfuric acid. When heated and vaporized, sulfuric acid can be deadly, Baldwin said. Hughes said the brush fire north of the plant at Sugar Road and Holly Drive in north Tracy started from spontaneous combus- tion of beet pulp. The fire was reported just after midnight. As the fire was being put out, firefighters approached a barrel and experienced severe res- piratory difficulties. Baldwin said the barrel was marked sulfuric acid, but tests are being conducted to determine exactly what the chemical was. "Whatever chemical was there shouldn't have been there," Hughes said. Holly Sugar officials said lime rock also was in the area. Bald- win said. Holly Sugar officials could not be reached for comment during the weekend.