Authorities in Orange County, California, have ordered the evacuation of approximately 40,000 residents over fears of a chemical leak or explosion at a facility in Garden Grove. The crisis involves a storage tank containing methyl methacrylate, a highly flammable chemical used in resins and plastics, which began off-gassing on Thursday and is now at risk of failure.
Orange County Fire Authority Division Chief Craig Covey described the situation as 'actively in crisis,' warning that the tank could either spill up to 7,000 gallons of chemicals or undergo a thermal runaway leading to an explosion. 'This thing is going to fail, and we don't know when,' Covey told reporters, urging residents to take evacuation orders seriously.
The tank, owned by GKN Aerospace—a subsidiary of a British corporation—initially prompted a hazmat response on Thursday, with evacuation orders lifted later that day. However, damage to a valve worsened the situation, leading to expanded evacuations covering parts of six cities: Garden Grove, Cypress, Stanton, Anaheim, Buena Park, and Westminster.
Crews have set up containment barriers with sandbags to prevent any chemical spill from reaching storm drains, creeks, or the ocean. County Health Officer Dr Regina Chinsio-Kwong warned that if the chemical heats up, it can release harmful vapours causing respiratory issues, eye irritation, nausea, and headaches.
Garden Grove Police Chief Amir El-Farra reported that about 15% of those under evacuation orders are refusing to leave. The city has established at least two shelters for evacuees. Garden Grove is located about 30 miles southeast of Los Angeles and less than a mile from Disneyland's theme parks, which are not under evacuation orders.
