Over 50K Evacuated, Residents Sue As Threat Of OC Chemical Tank Explosion Looms

GARDEN GROVE, CA — Over 50,000 Orange County residents remained evacuated Sunday as Memorial Day weekend wore on and a 7,000-gallon chemical tank filled with toxic methyl methacrylate threatened to leak or explode in Garden Grove.

In updates Saturday afternoon and evening, officials reported that while air monitoring remained normal and experts across the state had been brought in to brainstorm potential solutions, a blast could cause life-threatening conditions and severe structural damage.

"Our goal is to protect your homes, no damage to them, and to protect the environment,” Orange County Fire Authority Division Chief Craig Covey said in a social media update Saturday evening.

“Hopefully we can get that done before any failure in the tanks. I am not promising that we're going to fix that but I'm promising you we're doing everything we can to give us a third option that does not involve damaging this community or damaging our environment.”

Firefighters have been spraying the outside of the tank with water hoses in an effort to cool the chemicals heating up inside and prevent an explosion.

Lee Zeldin, head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, said Sunday the “most likely scenario” is a “low-volume release,” where officials will be able to “monitor, neutralize, and contain the threat.”

"The Orange County Fire Authority is working to keep the temperature of the tank down. That is very important,” he said on CNN.

He said keeping the temperature under 85 degrees is key.

The evacuation zone was north of Trask Avenue, south
of Ball Road, east of Valley View Street and west of Dale Street, and includes the entire city of Stanton, along with parts of Garden Grove, Anaheim, Westminster and Cypress.

Some Garden Grove residents filed a class-action lawsuit on Saturday against GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems, the company that operates the facility where the tank is located.

Lawyers for residents living in the evacuation zone argued in their federal court lawsuit that regardless of what happens next, property values in the surrounding community are sure to be impacted.

“There is no good outcome here for the people who live nearby,” the lawyers wrote in a statement. “In the best-case scenario, a slow, controlled leak still forces residents out of their homes for an indefinite period, disrupting families, businesses, and daily life. In the worst case, a catastrophic explosion could send a plume and debris across a far wider area, damaging thousands of properties and exposing residents to serious health risks.”

The tank overheated on Thursday and began venting vapors into the air at the aerospace plastics facility in Garden Grove, authorities said. Exposure to methyl methacrylate can cause serious respiratory problems and even render someone unconscious. It can also cause neurological problems and irritate the skin, eyes and throat.

The chemical has “a very strong fruity odor,” Orange County Health Officer Regina Chinsio-Kwong said in a social media update Saturday afternoon.

Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Orange County, making state resources available to local agencies and letting state-owned properties and fairgrounds be used for shelters if necessary.

No injuries had been reported as of Sunday morning.
Officials said the valves on the tank are broken or “gummed up,” which prevented crews from removing the chemical or relieving the pressure on the tank, according to Covey.

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office has established an anonymous tipline and online reporting form to gather information about the situation.

“This is an incredibly volatile situation with extraordinary efforts being made by first responders to prevent a potentially catastrophic disaster,” District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a news release.

Anyone with information related to the circumstances leading up to the incident is asked to call 714-347-8714, fill out an anonymous online form at ocdistrictattorney.gov or email tipster@ocdistrictattorney.gov.

GKN Aerospace, a leading global supplier of vehicle and aircraft components, manufactures acrylic plastics, posted the following statement on its website Saturday:

“There is a serious and evolving situation regarding a thermal issue in a chemical storage tank at our Garden Grove site in California. The situation remains ongoing and we are fully focused on working with emergency services, specialized hazardous material teams and the relevant authorities to ensure the safety of the local community, our employees and everyone else involved. We sincerely apologize for the significant disruption to the many local residents and businesses who have had to be evacuated. We are working tirelessly with all relevant experts to resolve this situation as safely as possible and in a timely manner and are deeply grateful for the continued skill and dedication of the Orange County emergency services.''

The company has previously agreed to pay state regulators more than $900,000 to settle violations involving recordkeeping, permitting issues and nitrogen oxide emissions, according to a report on the South Coast Air Quality Management District website.

The Associated Press and City News Service contributed to this story.