40,000 Ordered to Evacuate in California Amid Chemical Explosion Risk

Around 40,000 residents in southern California have been ordered to evacuate due to the risk of a chemical leak or explosion at an aerospace facility in Orange County.

The evacuation order was issued Friday for residents in six cities. It followed the failure of a storage tank containing up to 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate, a highly flammable chemical used in the production of plastics. The tank is located at GKN Aerospace in Garden Grove, a company that manufactures parts for aviation firms like Airbus and Boeing.

Orange County Fire Authority Division Chief Craig Covey described the potential scenarios: the tank could rupture, releasing toxic chemicals and creating a hazardous plume, or it could explode. He noted that an explosion, while dangerous, would at least eliminate the explosive hazard, allowing hazmat teams to manage the released chemicals. Firefighters have been working to cool the tank from a safe distance to buy more time for stabilization efforts.

Despite the evacuation orders, Garden Grove Police Chief Amir El-Farra reported that over 4,000 residents refused to leave. Mayor Stephanie Klopfenstein urged those remaining to evacuate immediately. Several schools were closed, and authorities have not yet indicated how long the evacuation order will remain in effect.

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That’s the best-case scenario, believe it or not, because once it comes out, it’s no longer an explosive hazard and our hazmat teams in their chemical protective suits can go in and neutralise and mitigate the vapours coming off the leak