{"id":331365,"date":"2026-05-25T07:19:28","date_gmt":"2026-05-25T07:19:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/331365\/"},"modified":"2026-05-25T07:19:28","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T07:19:28","slug":"crack-in-california-chemical-tank-may-reduce-explosion-risk-official-says-as-thousands-remain-under-evacuation-order-national-and-world-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/331365\/","title":{"rendered":"Crack in California chemical tank may reduce explosion risk, official says, as thousands remain under evacuation order | National and World News"},"content":{"rendered":"

(CNN) \u2014 Another operation is underway Sunday night to determine whether a crack in an overheating chemical tank<\/a> in Orange County, California, is relieving the pressure inside, as authorities work to prevent the tank from leaking or triggering an explosion as tens of thousands remain evacuated.<\/p>\n

Crews a\ufeffim to determine if the crack goes all the way through, Orange County Fire Authority Interim Chief TJ McGovern told CNN\u2019s Rosemary Church. If the crack does not extend all the way, pressure could still be trapped inside, leaving the possibility of an explosion and what he referred to as a \u201ccatastrophic worst-cast scenario.\u201d<\/p>\n

The latest operation comes after crews discovered the crack during an overnight operation Saturday, the same day California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Orange County.<\/p>\n

Roughly 50,000 people in the potential blast radius remain under evacuation orders, with many spending the Memorial Day weekend in shelters, hotels or with friends and family outside the danger zone.<\/p>\n

The chemical inside the tank, methyl methacrylate, or MMA, can cause respiratory issues and irritation to the skin and eyes upon exposure, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.<\/p>\n

McGovern reaffirmed there is currently no leak, telling CNN that authorities are doing continuous air monitoring in the vicinity.<\/p>\n

Officials plan to vet findings from the overnight mission Monday morning and provide an update on the explosion threat.<\/p>\n

If pressure has been released, officials can start looking at reducing the size of the evacuation zones, \u201cand that\u2019s kind of a step that we\u2019re really looking forward to,\u201d McGovern said.<\/p>\n

Busy tourist destinations like Disneyland and another theme park, Knott\u2019s Berry Farm, are nearby but are not included in the evacuation zone.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt this time, there is no impact to Disneyland Resort due to this situation and the resort remains open to guests,\u201d the Disneyland website<\/a> said Sunday, adding the theme park is actively monitoring the situation and working with local authorities.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what we know about the tank and what authorities are doing to prevent a potential disaster:<\/p>\n

Tank began to overheat Thursday<\/p>\n

Authorities first responded to GKN Aerospace, the facility where the tank is located, in Garden Grove on Thursday for a vapor release from the tank, McGovern said Friday. One of the tanks at the facility had overheated and activated a relief valve and sprinklers to cool the tank, he said.<\/p>\n

But the valves on the tank were \u201cgummed up\u201d and the temperature inside continued to rise, officials have said. Methyl methacrylate\u2019s \u201chappy place\u201d is 50 degrees, Orange County Fire Authority Division Chief and Unified Incident Commander Craig Covey said Friday, noting the increase in temperature could lead to a leak or explosion.<\/p>\n

When MMA overheats, a chemical reaction is triggered that is difficult to control inside a large tank, according to Elias Picazo, an assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Southern California.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere we have the potential for a thermal runaway where that\u2019s the problem in itself: The reaction produces heat, but heat also initiates the reaction, and it\u2019s this vicious cycle,\u201d Picazo told CNN.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why authorities are trying to keep the tank as cool as possible, to keep the chemical reactions happening inside the tank stabilized, according to Elaine Bernal, a chemistry lecturer at California State University, Long Beach.<\/p>\n

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin told CNN on Sunday \u201ca low-volume release, where the local authorities are going to be able to monitor, neutralize, and contain a threat\u201d is most likely.<\/p>\n

\u201cRight now, this is an emergency response,\u201d Zeldin said. \u201cThis isn\u2019t yet an environmental response, and the scale of that environmental response will be determined based off of what happens when that tank fails.\u201d<\/p>\n

Almost 800 state and local first responders have been deployed to respond, Newsom said<\/a>, including toxicologists, hazmat teams and public health sheltering experts.<\/p>\n

Authorities were attempting Saturday to solidify the chemical inside the tank from the outside inward \u2014 a process Concialdi likened to an ice cube freezing. But he warned those efforts may not succeed.<\/p>\n

\u201cA couple things could happen. \u2026 The tank could crack and start spilling out all that 7,000 gallons of chemical, or there could be a catastrophic explosion,\u201d Concialdi told CNN Saturday, noting they are \u201cunsure\u201d of the exact temperature at which the tank could ignite or explode.<\/p>\n

Officials said earlier the tank\u2019s temperature gauge had maxed out at 100 degrees, making it difficult to determine how much hotter conditions inside may actually be.<\/p>\n

On Sunday evening, two firefighters could be seen approaching the tank and climbing to the top.<\/p>\n

The fire authority released a blast zone map<\/a> Saturday outlining areas that could be impacted if the tank explodes. The map shows three rings around the facility representing zones of severe, moderate and light structural damage.<\/p>\n

GKN apologized to evacuated residents and businesses in a statement<\/a> Sunday and said it is working with emergency services and hazardous materials teams \u201cto monitor the condition of the affected material and are working round the clock to mitigate the risk of a leak.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are acutely aware of the uncertainty this incident is causing and sincerely apologise for the ongoing disruption to the local community,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n

Newsom issued a state of emergency<\/a> and submitted a request to President Donald Trump for an emergency declaration to support ongoing response operations, and Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer announced<\/a> an anonymous tip line and reporting form for anyone with information about the incident or what led to it.<\/p>\n

Residents file class-action lawsuit against tank owner<\/p>\n

Two residents, a couple who live in the evacuation zone, filed a lawsuit Saturday against GKN Aerospace, alleging the company negligently stored and handled MMA, which led to widespread disruptions for their community.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s extremely serious,\u201d attorney Filippo Marchino of the X-Law Group, who\u2019s leading the class-action suit, told CNN.<\/p>\n

\u201cAside from just being evacuated, everything that they know and love is inside their home. It\u2019s their place of refuge,\u201d Marchino said.<\/p>\n

GKN Aerospace declined to comment on the lawsuit Sunday.<\/p>\n

The lawsuit was filed as a proposed class action, and the couple are the lead plaintiffs. Marchino said roughly 100 to 120 other residents have already expressed interest in joining the case.<\/p>\n

The lawsuit claims the company\u2019s handling of the chemical created dangerous conditions that threatened public health and safety by creating an ongoing risk of fire, explosion, toxic chemical exposure and environmental contamination that affected tens of thousands of residents, businesses and schools near the facility.<\/p>\n

The couple, who have been camping since being evacuated from their home within the potential blast radius, say they have been dealing with displacement costs, fears about contamination and disruptions to the use of their home, according to the complaint.<\/p>\n

Some residents reporting symptoms<\/p>\n

Exposure to MMA can cause nausea, dizziness and \u201csignificant irritation\u201d to the lungs and nasal passages, Orange County Health Officer Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong said.<\/p>\n

The chemical can produce a fruit-like scent, although smelling it doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019ve gotten enough exposure to have symptoms, she said in another update.<\/p>\n

Officials said the chemical has not been detected in the air, but some residents said they\u2019ve experienced symptoms.<\/p>\n

\u201cI forgot to close the window during the Thursday night, and I regret it,\u201d said Stanton resident Van Ly, who evacuated Friday. \u201cMy throat and the inside of my nose feel sore, and my wife felt dizzy Friday night.\u201d<\/p>\n

Miguel Loo, who lives with his fianc\u00e9e inside the evacuation zone in the city of Westminster, told CNN Saturday he and his fianc\u00e9e\u2019s mother had been experiencing headaches since Thursday.<\/p>\n

The EPA is leading air monitoring efforts as part of the unified command team, while the Orange County Health Care Agency is leading the public health response, the South Coast Air Quality Management District told CNN.<\/p>\n

In an update<\/a> Saturday evening, Harry Allen with the EPA said the agency had deployed 24 stationary monitors, which operate around the clock and have not picked up any contaminants.<\/p>\n

Evacuated residents flock to shelters<\/p>\n

Air should be safe outside the evacuation zone, said Chinsio-Kwong, urging people to leave the affected area.<\/p>\n

Some school districts in the evacuation zone announced they would be moving to online learning. Garden Grove Unified School District said its 13 affected schools would remain closed \u201cuntil further notice,\u201d and district trustee Walter Muneton said the schools would shift to virtual learning.<\/p>\n

Westminster School District also said parents should be prepared to transition to online learning next week.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Kennedy High School in Anaheim canceled its graduation on Friday and rescheduled it for Tuesday, May 26.<\/p>\n

The Red Cross<\/a> opened a seventh shelter for evacuees Sunday as others in the area reached capacity for overnight stays.<\/p>\n

Nearby hotels<\/a> were also offering discounted rates over the holiday weekend.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople need to get out of their houses and get into a safe space because when this thing goes, depending on the wind direction it\u2019s going, we cannot control the weather,\u201d Covey said.<\/p>\n

Dawnedra Phillips, who lives in the evacuation zone, told CNN affiliate KABC she is taking warnings from officials seriously and staying at a shelter for evacuees in Cypress.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m waiting it out, \u2018cause here we have our community and we\u2019re supporting each other the best that we can with what we have going on right now,\u201d Phillips said. \u201cI don\u2019t care how old you are, it\u2019s going to harm you one way or another.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ju Pyo, her husband and three children ended up at another shelter in La Palma after being unable to find a hotel room for the night.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are the last family allowed to come in at this point. It was like 10:30 or 11 in the morning, so we are lucky,\u201d Pyo told KABC.<\/p>\n

Like Phillips, Pyo said they aren\u2019t taking chances and will wait until officials say it\u2019s safe to return home.<\/p>\n

Past inspection led to violation and settlement<\/p>\n

GKN Aerospace says its Garden Grove location is the \u201cworld\u2019s leading provider of military transparency systems and commercial aircraft transparencies.\u201d Aircraft transparency systems include<\/a> canopies, windshields and windows.<\/p>\n

Issues revealed in a November 2020 inspection at the Garden Grove facility led to a violation notice and GKN Aerospace paying nearly $1 million in a settlement.<\/p>\n

The inspection by the South Coast Air Quality Management District, or AQMD \u2013 a regional pollution control agency \u2013 determined the site had failed to maintain and keep required records documenting its VOC emissions, which produce poor air quality if they are released at harmful levels, according to the agency.<\/p>\n

Inspectors also found GKN had operated new equipment without securing a permit as well as existing equipment that did not match the description in the permit, the agency said. It also modified permitted equipment without applying for a permit change, which is required by the agency, the statement said.<\/p>\n

The company received two notices to comply \u2014 mandating fixes to the reported issues \u2014 in December 2020 and February 2021, the agency said, but it failed to comply. That led to a notice of violation in April 2021 and a civil penalty of roughly $900,000 paid by GKN, the agency said.<\/p>\n

Since the violation, the agency said it has been \u201cworking closely with GKN to help resolve these permitting issues.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two more notices to comply were issued to GKN in March of last year requesting operating records as well as applications for registering certain equipment and a change in facility ownership, said AQMD.<\/p>\n

When reached for comment on the previous violation and settlement, GKN reiterated its earlier statement about working to resolve the current situation at the facility that led to evacuations but did not address any previous issues.<\/p>\n

This story has been updated with additional information.<\/p>\n

The-CNN-Wire<\/p>\n

\u2122 & \u00a9 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n

\u200bTHE-CNN-WIRE (TM) & \u00a9 2026 CABLE NEWS NETWORK, INC., A TIME WARNER COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"(CNN) \u2014 Another operation is underway Sunday night to determine whether a crack in an overheating chemical tank…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":331366,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[7,9,8],"class_list":["post-331365","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-california","tag-california","tag-california-headlines","tag-california-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/331365","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=331365"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/331365\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/331366"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=331365"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=331365"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=331365"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}