Residents across parts of Orange County spent the weekend under growing evacuation orders as officials warned of a “significantly dangerous” situation involving a leaking toxic chemical tank at an aerospace facility in Garden Grove, CA.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom officially proclaimed a state of emergency on Saturday as emergency crews continued working to stabilize the industrial tank at GKN Aerospace.
According to officials, the tank is believed to contain roughly 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate, a hazardous industrial chemical commonly used in plastics and manufacturing applications. Authorities say temperatures inside the tank have continued rising, increasing fears of a potentially catastrophic failure.
“The safety of Orange County residents is the top priority,” Newsom said in a public statement announcing the emergency declaration.
Evacuation Zone Expanded Across Multiple Cities
Orange County officials expanded evacuation orders Friday to include homes within roughly a one-mile radius in several cities, including:
- Garden Grove
- Cypress
- Stanton
- Anaheim
- Buena Park
- Westminster
Officials said the evacuation boundaries were expanded to:
- Western border: Valley View Street
- Northern border: Ball Road
- Southern border: Trask Avenue
- Eastern border: Dale Street
Authorities estimate that more than 50,000 residents have been impacted by the evacuation zone and ongoing emergency response operations.
Temperatures Inside Tank Continue Rising
Orange County Fire Authority Incident Commander Craig Covey said crews initially believed the temperatures inside the leaking tank were stabilizing. However, after emergency teams entered the restricted danger zone, officials discovered conditions were becoming more volatile.
According to Covey, the tank temperature increased from approximately 77 degrees Friday morning to 90 degrees by Friday night, climbing at a rate of about one degree per hour.
“We did put people in harm’s way last night,” Covey said in a video update posted to social media, explaining that crews attempted to stabilize a nearby secondary tank and assess the growing risk.
Emergency responders have continued monitoring the site while working to prevent further escalation.
District Attorney Launches Investigation
As the emergency response continued Saturday, Todd Spitzer announced that the Orange County District Attorney’s Office had launched an investigation into what caused the tank failure.
Spitzer publicly encouraged employees connected to the aerospace facility to come forward with information.
“If you want to come forward and you want to be interviewed and you want to tell us what you know, now is the time,” Spitzer said during a public statement.
Officials have not yet announced what specifically caused the incident or whether any violations may have contributed to the chemical leak.
Community Concerns Continue Growing
The situation has created widespread concern throughout Orange County communities as residents monitor emergency alerts and shifting evacuation boundaries.
Local officials continue urging residents inside the evacuation zones to follow all public safety instructions and remain alert for additional updates as crews work around the clock to stabilize the tank safely.
At the time of publication, evacuation orders remained active in multiple affected areas.
Source: CBS Los Angeles Coverage