Southern California officials are working to avert a potential explosion or chemical leak from a damaged storage tank at an aerospace facility in Garden Grove, where an evacuation order for roughly 50,000 residents remains in place with no clear timeline for their return.
The tank at GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems overheated Thursday and began venting vapors, prompting local and state authorities to scramble to prevent a worst-case scenario at the site about 40 miles south of downtown Los Angeles. No injuries have been reported so far, though the situation has displaced thousands and led to the opening of several evacuation shelters.
Over the weekend, firefighters discovered that the tank had cracked, which officials said could lower the risk of a catastrophic blast. Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Wayhowe Huang noted that it did not appear any of the highly volatile chemicals had leaked, but added, “There’s still the danger of a possible explosion.”
The tank holds between 6,000 and 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate, a chemical used to make plastic parts for commercial and military aircraft. Firefighters have repeatedly sprayed the tank with water to cool its contents, yet the interior temperature rose to 100 degrees Fahrenheit on Sunday, an increase of 10 degrees since Saturday, according to state Sen. Tom Umberg.
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Saturday and requested a federal emergency declaration from President Donald Trump to provide additional support. Containment barriers have been set up around the facility to prevent any spill from reaching storm drains, creeks or the ocean, while drones monitor temperatures at 10-minute intervals.
Purdue University engineering professor Andrew Whelton explained the physics behind the crack’s potential effect, comparing it to a soda can left in a hot car. “If you leave it in a hot car it can explode,” Whelton said. “But if you put a hole in the can, the product is released and the can itself doesn’t explode.” He cautioned that firefighters are unlikely to deliberately puncture the tank due to the risk of sparks igniting the flammable gas.
Air monitoring around the evacuation zone has shown pollution levels within normal limits, according to state and federal environmental officials. Orange County health officials added that the chemical is easy to smell and that people may notice it over a large area without being harmed, though exposure can cause respiratory and neurological issues as well as skin and eye irritation.
Streets in the affected area of Garden Grove remained empty on Sunday, with aerial photos showing deserted neighborhoods. At a high school shelter in neighboring La Palma, evacuees slept in cars or on mats and sleeping bags on the asphalt. Disneyland’s theme parks in nearby Anaheim were not under evacuation orders, though park officials said they were monitoring developments.
Some Garden Grove residents filed a class-action federal lawsuit against GKN Aerospace on Saturday, arguing that property values in the community are likely to suffer regardless of the outcome. The company has apologized to affected residents and businesses and said it is “working around the clock to mitigate the risk of a leak.”
GKN Aerospace previously agreed in 2025 to pay state regulators more than $900,000 to settle violations involving recordkeeping, permitting and nitrogen oxide emissions, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District. The current incident has raised fresh questions about safety protocols at the facility.
Officials continue to emphasize that cooling the tank remains the top priority to avoid a leak or explosion that could spread the chemical over a wide area and send shrapnel flying. Specialized equipment is being used to detect any gas releases, and tests so far have not indicated a breach of the chemical itself.
As the situation develops, authorities have not provided an estimated time for residents to return home. The focus remains on stabilizing the tank while monitoring for any changes in temperature or pressure that could escalate the threat.