Garden Grove Evacuates Thousands As GKN Aerospace Tank Leaks Methyl Methacrylate, Threatening Spill Or Explosion

Fire officials in Garden Grove, California, issued urgent evacuation orders as a 34,000-gallon storage tank at GKN Aerospace was described as "actively in crisis" and threatening to spill or explode.

Orange County Fire Authority Interim Chief TJ McGovern said crews were working around the clock after authorities determined methyl methacrylate (MMA) was leaking from the tank and firefighters put critical cooling measures in place.

ABC7 Los Angeles

Orange County Fire Division Chief Craig Covey said officials had determined the tank "is in fact unable to be secured and mitigated," and he said the two catastrophic outcomes were a failure that could spill between 6,000 and 7,000 gallons or a thermal runaway that could trigger an explosion.

Garden Grove Police Chief Amir El-Farra said an expanded evacuation zone had been implemented to protect the public, and he urged residents: "Community safety is our highest priority, and we want to see this come to a successful resolution, but we need your help."

Newsweek said mandatory evacuation orders were issued for around 40,000 people in Garden Grove and surrounding cities including parts of Anaheim, Stanton, and Westminster, as officials warned the tank could fail or explode and release "highly toxic" substances.

ABC7 Los Angeles reported that evacuation orders were reissued Friday for thousands of residents and that schools were closed in Garden Grove due to ongoing concerns about a toxic chemical leaking from the tank at an aerospace facility.

Fox News

ABC7 Los Angeles said evacuation centers were set up at Stanton City Hall, 7800 Katella Ave., and Garden Grove Sports & Recreation Center, 13641 Deodara Drive, and it reported that Garden Grove police sergeant Nick Jensen said buildings from Western Avenue to Beach Boulevard and from Garden Grove Boulevard to Orangewood Avenue were evacuated.

KTLA quoted Division Chief Craig Covey saying, "This is not precautionary… this thing is gonna fail, and we don’t know when," and it said evacuation orders were being reissued "due to changing conditions" as hazmat crews continued mitigation efforts at the GKN Aerospace facility on Western Avenue.

Officials said there was no active gas leak or toxic plume as of Friday afternoon, but Fox News reported that residents were told to heed warnings immediately out of an abundance of caution.

“Thousands of Orange County residents remained under evacuation orders Friday after officials warned that amassive storage tank leakinghazardous chemicals at a Garden Grove aerospace facility could potentially rupture or explode”

KTLA

Fox News also said FEMA and the EPA did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment, while Rep. Derek Tran, D-Calif., said he was in contact with federal disaster relief officials including FEMA and the EPA to urge available federal assistance for Garden Grove.

Telemundo 52 reported that the Orange County Fire Department responded to reports of a hazardous materials incident on the 12100 block of Western Avenue around 3:38 p.m. Thursday, and it said the evacuated areas included areas north of Garden Grove Boulevard, east of Monarch Street, south of Orangewood Avenue, and west of Beach Boulevard.

Telemundo 52 quoted the Orange County Fire Department saying, "When the liquid comes into contact with air, it can ignite spontaneously," and it reported that a reunification center was set up at Rancho Alamito High School on Dale Street.