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GARDEN GROVE, California – Authorities in Southern California are working to stabilize an overheated chemical storage tank at the GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems facility in Garden Grove, as roughly 40,000 nearby residents remain under mandatory evacuation orders. The tank contains methyl methacrylate, a hazardous chemical used to make plastic parts, and began venting vapors on Thursday after overheating, triggering a major emergency response and widespread school closures. Firefighters have repeatedly sprayed the tank with water to cool the contents, while drones monitor the tank’s temperature at 10-minute intervals to detect any spikes that could signal additional danger. By Sunday, officials said the tank may have cracked, which they indicated could lessen the risk of a catastrophic rupture or explosion, but they kept the evacuation order in place and provided no timeline for when residents could safely return home. Orange County Fire Authority interim chief TJ McGovern said crews were preparing for an all-night operation to determine whether pressure inside the tank had been relieved and urged residents to stay out of the evacuation zone while work continued. No injuries have been reported. California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Orange County and requested a federal emergency declaration to support the response effort.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.