California toxic chemical tank crack may relieve pressure as thousands evacuate

A potential crack in a damaged tank containing toxic methyl methacrylate in Garden Grove, California, may offer a glimmer of hope as authorities work to manage the threat of an explosion. The discovery, made by firefighters on Saturday night, could be relieving some of the pressure within the tank, which began leaking on Thursday.

This development comes as tens of thousands of residents remain under evacuation orders. Approximately 40,000 people were told to leave their homes in the Orange County area, southeast of Los Angeles, after the leak released fumes over a populated area. The tank holds 26,000 liters of the volatile and flammable liquid, used in the aerospace industry.

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This operation that we did gave us positive intel to make educated decisions today in the positive light.

Firefighters had been spraying water on the tank to cool it, as it had been heating up, intensifying fears of a catastrophic blast. "This operation that we did gave us positive intel to make educated decisions today in the positive light," said TJ McGovern, interim fire chief for the Orange County Fire Authority, in a video post on X. He cautioned, however, that "We're not there yet, but this was a step in a right direction."

The leak originated at the GKN Aerospace facility, which manufactures windows and canopies for aircraft. The cause of the leak is still under investigation. California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for Orange County. Meanwhile, Disneyland, located about five miles from the affected area, remains open, with officials closely monitoring the situation.

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We're not there yet, but this was a step in a right direction.