Authorities in Orange County, California, have ordered the evacuation of 40,000 residents over concerns about a chemical leak that threatened to spill or explode. The incident began on Thursday at a facility owned by GKN Aerospace in Garden Grove, where a storage tank containing methyl methacrylate started off-gassing and posed a risk of failure. The chemical, highly flammable, is used in the fabrication of resins and plastics.
Escalating Crisis
Local authorities initially responded with a hazmat team on Thursday, ordering nearby residents to evacuate. They lifted the order later that day, but the situation worsened due to “damage to a valve on the tank” that “created additional operational challenges, preventing complete mitigation,” according to a statement from Garden Grove authorities. By Friday, new evacuation orders had expanded to residents across six cities.
“We have a tank that is actively in crisis,” Orange County Fire Authority Division Chief Craig Covey told reporters at a news conference. “There are literally two options left remaining. One: the tank fails and spills a total of about 6-7,000 gallons of very bad chemicals into the parking lot in that area. Or two: the tank goes into a thermal runaway and blows up, affecting the tanks that are around them that have fuel or the chemicals in them as well.”
Uncertainty and Preparations
Covey emphasised the urgency, stating, “This thing is going to fail, and we don’t know when. We’re doing our best to figure out when or how we can prevent it.” Crews have set up containment barriers with sandbags in case of a chemical spill, aiming to prevent the toxic substance from entering storm drains, creeks, or the nearby ocean.
Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong, the county health officer, warned that if the chemical heats up, it can release harmful vapours, causing respiratory issues, itching and burning eyes, nausea, and headaches. Garden Grove Police Chief Amir El-Farra noted that approximately 15% of those under evacuation orders were refusing to leave, as reported by the Orange County Register. The city has established at least two shelters for evacuees.
Geographical Context
Garden Grove is located about 38 miles (61 km) south of downtown Los Angeles and less than a mile from Disneyland’s two theme parks, which were not under evacuation orders on Friday. The evacuation orders cover residents of five other Orange County cities: Cypress, Stanton, Anaheim, Buena Park, and Westminster.
Covey urged residents to take the order seriously: “We are setting up these evacuations in preparation for these two options: it fails or it blows up. Please follow our requests and orders for evacuations.” GKN Aerospace is a division of a British corporation that produces airplane engines and other aircraft parts.
