Emergency crews in Garden Grove are weighing all outcomes of the toxic chemical tank leak that forced thousands of residents in Orange County to evacuate, Orange County Fire Authority Division Chief Commander Craig Covey said in an update on Saturday.
Officials have been monitoring a 34,000-gallon tank that began leaking a flammable liquid called methyl methacrylate at GKN Aerospace on Thursday. Since then, they warned that the chemical tank could potentially explode or leak thousands of gallons of hazardous material.
According to Covey, crews have been using drones to read the external temperature of the tank to monitor the situation. Eventually, they were able to see a gauge that’s recording the internal temperature of the tank and saw that it increased from 77 degrees on Friday to 90 degrees.
***CRITICAL INCIDENT UPDATE***
Unified Incident Commander Craig Covey providing this morning‘s update. pic.twitter.com/er52WXgh3J
— OCFA (@OCFireAuthority) May 23, 2026
“It’s been averaging about a degree an hour, increasing,” Covey said. “So, that’s the bad news, unfortunately, I have to share with you.”
The temperature of the tank, one of the three at the facility, increased and triggered a safety valve and an overhead sprinkler system designed for cooling. The leak was stopped, but Covey said Friday the situation remained volatile due to a pressure-release valve problem on the tank, which developed a bulge. The increase in temperature poses an additional concern.
It was not immediately clear what caused the temperature spike and leak.
“I know there’s a lot of anxiety over this,” Covey said on Saturday. “I just need you to understand we are not giving up.”
The fire official added that OCFA is strategizing with other emergency teams and bringing in experts from across the country to brainstorm how to prevent the troubled tank from exploding. He added that crews have made preparations for either outcome, whether the tank spills or explodes.
“We’re going to do everything we can to mitigate this, protect your residences, protect our environment and get you back home,” he said.
Evacuation orders and shelters
The residential and industrial area is under an evacuation order, affecting about 40,000 people. An order initially issued Thursday night was lifted but was re-issued and expanded Friday after conditions worsened due to the damaged valve.
The orders were issued for the area north of Trask Avenue, south of Ball Road, east of Valley View Street and west of Dale Street. Covey said evacuation zones were determined with wind speed and direction in mind.
𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄: 𝐄𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐎𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬:
North of Garden Grove Boulevard
East of Springdale Avenue
West of Dale Street
South of Orangewood Avenue pic.twitter.com/vjTTbRbYC0
— City of Garden Grove (@CityGardenGrove) May 22, 2026
The following evacuation centers have opened
Ocean View High School: 17071 Gothard Street in Huntington Beach
Savanna High School: 301 North Gilbert Street in Anaheim
John F. Kennedy High School: 8281 Walker Street in La Palma
Freedom Hall: 16801 Euclid Street in Fountain Valley (reached capacity Friday night)
A spokesperson for GKN Aerospace said, “The situation at our Garden Grove site remains ongoing, and we are fully focused on working with emergency services and the relevant authorities to ensure the safety of our employees and the local community.”
The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services is monitoring the situation and has sent personnel to work with local agencies.
“If you’re in the area impacted by this incident in Garden Grove, follow local evacuation orders and guidance from local emergency officials,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in an X post.
The American Red Cross has teams on standby, the agency said.