Authorities in Orange County, California, have ordered the evacuation of 40,000 people over concerns about a chemical leak that could lead to a spill or explosion. The incident began on Thursday at a GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove, where a storage tank containing methyl methacrylate started off-gassing and is at risk of failure. The chemical, highly flammable and used in resins and plastics, poses significant threats.
Local hazmat teams initially responded and lifted evacuation orders later that day, but the situation worsened due to a damaged valve. By Friday, new evacuation orders expanded to residents in six cities. Orange County Fire Authority Division Chief Craig Covey stated, 'We have a tank that is actively in crisis,' warning of two possible outcomes: a spill of 6,000-7,000 gallons of chemicals or a thermal runaway explosion.
Crews have set up containment barriers with sandbags to prevent the toxic chemical from entering storm drains or reaching creeks and the ocean. Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong, the county health officer, warned that if the chemical heats up, it can release harmful vapors 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. The evacuation orders cover parts of Garden Grove, Cypress, Stanton, Anaheim, Buena Park, and Westminster. Disneyland's theme parks, less than a mile away, are not under evacuation orders.
Covey urged residents to take the orders seriously, emphasizing that the tank will fail, and the timing is uncertain. GKN Aerospace is a division of a British corporation that manufactures aircraft parts.
