Around 40,000 residents in Southern California remained under evacuation orders Friday as officials worked urgently to prevent a potentially dangerous chemical storage tank from exploding after it began leaking at an aerospace plastics facility in Garden Grove, Orange County.
The tank, containing between 6,000 and 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate — a chemical commonly used in manufacturing plastic products — overheated on Thursday and started releasing vapors into the air, according to local fire authorities.
Officials warned that the tank could rupture or explode, creating a major hazard. Orange County Fire Authority Division Chief Craig Covey said crews were trying to determine how to stop the failure before it became catastrophic.
Evacuation orders initially affected residents in Garden Grove but were later expanded to parts of five neighboring Orange County cities: Cypress, Stanton, Anaheim, Buena Park, and Westminster. Authorities were unable to stop the leak overnight at the GKN Aerospace facility, which produces components for commercial and military aircraft.
No injuries or fatalities had been reported as of Friday.
Later in the day, Covey said emergency crews had managed to stabilize the tank’s temperature, giving authorities more time to assess possible solutions.
Garden Grove, located roughly 38 miles south of downtown Los Angeles and near Disneyland, is home to one of the largest Vietnamese communities in the United States.
Residents described the sudden evacuation as frightening and chaotic. Danny Pham, who lives just blocks from the facility, said he was awakened early Friday by his roommate and told to leave immediately. Unaware of the overnight developments, he quickly gathered only essential items such as his wallet and passport before seeking shelter elsewhere.
By Friday afternoon, Pham said he still did not know where he would stay and worried he might be displaced for several days.
To prepare for a possible spill, emergency crews set up sandbag barriers to keep the toxic chemical from reaching storm drains, nearby waterways, or the ocean.
County health officer Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong warned that heated methyl methacrylate can release dangerous vapors that may cause breathing difficulties, eye irritation, nausea, headaches, and other health problems.
Officials said crews had successfully stabilized one of two damaged tanks, but the second tank remained the primary concern.
GKN Aerospace confirmed that hazardous materials specialists were evaluating the situation and said protecting employees, emergency responders, and nearby residents remained the company’s top priority.
Many residents from the area’s Vietnamese community expressed concern that evacuation alerts issued only in English might not reach everyone effectively. Retiree Kim Yen, who evacuated to her daughter’s home after receiving a phone alert Thursday night, worried some older residents could misunderstand or ignore the warnings.
When she briefly returned Friday morning to collect medications and documents, Yen found her neighborhood nearly deserted, with police officers going door to door to ensure people had evacuated safely.
Garden Grove Mayor Stephanie Klopfenstein urged residents to follow official instructions, emphasizing that the evacuation orders were necessary to protect public safety.
Local Vietnamese-language television stations also translated emergency updates and encouraged residents to take the situation seriously.