California\u2019s governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Saturday in response to the looming threat of chemical disaster in Orange county.<\/p>\n
The proclamation directs the governor\u2019s<\/a> office of emergency services and other state agencies to provide additional support to Orange county responders. The governor\u2019s office is also making state-owned properties available to shelter the 40,000 people ordered to evacuate from the area.<\/p>\n \u201cThe safety of Orange County residents is the top priority,\u201d Newsom said in a statement. \u201cWe are mobilizing every state resource available to support local responders and make sure the community has what they need to stay safe.\u201d<\/p>\n Beach Boulevard was closed off after the evacuation order was given, in Garden Grove on Saturday. Photograph: Ted Soqui\/EPAA street in the evacuation zone is closed off to the public, in Garden Grove on Saturday. Photograph: Ted Soqui\/EPA<\/p>\n On Thursday, a storage tank holding methyl methacrylate began off-gassing and threatened to fail<\/a> at a facility in the town of Garden Grove owned by GKN Aerospace, local authorities say. The highly flammable chemical is used to fabricate resins and plastics.<\/p>\n Local authorities say the tank, which holds 6,000-7,000 gallons of the chemical, will either explode or leak its contents into the parking lot.<\/p>\n Firefighters have attempted to reduce the temperature of the storage tank by dousing it with water<\/a>. Those attempts appear to be failing.<\/p>\n People arrive at Freedom Hall, an evacuation center, in Fountain Valley, California, on Saturday. Photograph: American Red Cross Southern California Region\/AP<\/p>\n