Garden Grove Hazmat Tanks Overheat

Orange County fire officials said on Friday, May 23, that a failing chemical tank at GKN Aerospace in Garden Grove had become an “unmitigatable” hazard after efforts to stabilize it failed. The 34,000-gallon tank contains methyl methacrylate, a flammable industrial chemical used in plastics manufacturing, and authorities said it was on a path to either rupture and spill thousands of gallons or explode. Evacuation orders covering roughly 40,000 residents in Garden Grove and nearby parts of Anaheim, Stanton and Westminster remained in place into Saturday and Sunday as crews kept water on the tank and searched for alternatives. Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for Orange County on May 23 to support the response and expand shelter capacity. ### How did the emergency start at the Garden Grove plant? The Orange County Fire Authority said crews first responded around 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 21, to vapor releasing from a tank at the GKN Aerospace facility on Western Avenue in Garden Grove. Authorities initially issued evacuation orders, briefly lifted some of them after temperatures fell, and then reissued the orders when the tank could not be fully secured because of equipment problems including a faulty valve. (abcnews.com) GKN Aerospace’s site stores methyl methacrylate, or MMA, which is used to make acrylic plastic components. Fire officials said the chemical is both toxic and highly flammable, making the risk not only a spill but also a blast if the tank fails under pressure. ### Why were so many people told to leave? About 40,000 people were under evacuation orders by Friday as officials drew a broad zone around the plant because of the possibility of a toxic release or explosion. (abcnews.com) Some reports on Saturday put the affected population closer to 50,000 as agencies described overlapping evacuation areas across Garden Grove, west Anaheim, Stanton, Westminster and nearby communities. The City of Garden Grove told residents to avoid the area, follow evacuation orders and monitor official city and public safety channels for updates. Local schools were closed and some Memorial Day weekend activities were disrupted as road closures remained in effect around the industrial site. ### What made the tank so difficult to control? Fire officials said the tank had overheated and was continuing to generate concern despite constant cooling from the outside. (apnews.com) Authorities described the vessel as damaged, pressured and bulging, and said the usual mitigation options had not solved the problem. ABC News, citing the Orange County Fire Authority and state officials, reported that responders were trying to prevent a “catastrophic” outcome while acknowledging that the tank could still either leak or explode. (ggcity.org) Reuters photographs published by other outlets showed crews spraying water on the tank as part of the cooling operation. ### What has the state done since the evacuations expanded? (abcnews.com) Governor Gavin Newsom said on Saturday that California had proclaimed a state of emergency in Orange County to help local agencies respond to the hazardous chemical incident. The proclamation directed state agencies to support the response and made additional shelter sites available for displaced residents, according to the governor’s office. (abcnews.com) The Orange County Fire Authority posted a dedicated Garden Grove incident page with a community hotline, and city officials directed residents to official emergency channels for evacuation and road-closure information. ### What should residents watch for next? Memorial Day weekend updates from city, county and broadcast reports said the immediate next step was continued monitoring and cooling while responders looked for a safe way to deal with the tank. (gov.ca.gov) Officials had not published a firm timetable for lifting evacuation orders, and multiple reports said residents should expect restrictions to remain in place until authorities determine the vessel is no longer at risk of leaking or exploding. (ocfa.org) The clearest public updates are being posted on the City of Garden Grove emergency page, the Orange County Fire Authority incident page and the governor’s May 23 emergency proclamation. Those notices include evacuation guidance, shelter information and the OCFA community hotline as crews continue work through the holiday weekend. (ggcity.org) (msn.com)