{"id":660780,"date":"2026-05-23T17:04:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-23T17:04:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/660780\/"},"modified":"2026-05-23T17:04:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-23T17:04:09","slug":"socal-shelters-at-breaking-point-as-toxic-chemical-leak-in-garden-grove-forces-40000-evacuations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/660780\/","title":{"rendered":"SoCal shelters at breaking point as toxic chemical leak in Garden Grove forces 40,000 evacuations"},"content":{"rendered":"

A potentially explosive tank leaking toxic chemicals in Garden Grove has forced the evacuation of some 40,000 locals<\/a> \u2014 leaving shelters with lines out the door as displaced residents scramble for a place to stay.<\/p>\n

The leak at the GKN Aerospace plant stretched into a third day<\/a> Saturday as officials announced that another evacuation center opened in Huntington Beach, in addition three others in Fountain Valley, La Palma and Anaheim.<\/p>\n

All areas north of Garden Grove Boulevard, east of Monarch Street, south of Orangewood Avenue, and west of Beach Boulevard have been evacuated. Anadolu via Getty Images<\/p>\n

At the Fountain Valley site, lines stretched out the door on Friday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that\u2019s the worst part \u2014 just waiting and not knowing what\u2019s going to happen because we all want to go home,\u201d Jacqueline Reigos told ABC 7<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Some residents left home so fast that they residents didn\u2019t bring vital supplies or medication with them,. They were allowed to return to retrieve some.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like the situation has escalated very quickly,\u201d resident Diego Espinoza added\u201dIt was pretty harsh to get out of the house very quickly.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cThis is going to happen unless some brilliant guy behind me here figures out how we can mitigate this incident,\u201d he added. Anadolu via Getty Images<\/p>\n

All areas north of Garden Grove Boulevard, east of Monarch Street, south of Orangewood Avenue, and west of Beach Boulevard were remained evacuation orders.<\/p>\n

The orders were issued after 34,000-gallon tank started leaking toxic methyl methacrylate on Thursday, as officials warned a day later that it was at risk of exploding. is at high risk of exploding. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not precautionary\u2026 this thing is going to fail, and we don\u2019t know when,\u201d Orange\u00a0County\u00a0Fire Authority Division Chief Craig Covey said during a Friday afternoon press conference. \u201cWe\u2019re doing our best to figure out when or how we can prevent it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fire officials on Friday predicted two outcomes for the leaking tank.<\/p>\n

At least two additional evacuation centers opened overnight in Huntington Beach and La Palma. REUTERS<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are\u00a0literally two\u00a0options left remaining,\u201d Covey said. \u201cOne, the tank fails and spills a total of about 6,000 to\u00a07,000 gallons\u00a0of\u00a0very bad\u00a0chemicals into the parking lot in that area. Or two, the tank goes into a thermal runaway and blows up.\u201d<\/p>\n

At least two additional evacuation centers opened overnight in Huntington Beach and La Palma.<\/p>\n

Residents said they were just trying to follow what they were told.<\/p>\n

\u201cGot a knock on the door, and I was told we were supposed to leave so I did what I was told,\u201d Jason Reid told ABC 7.<\/p>\n

State and local officials are aware of the leak and are monitoring the situation.<\/p>\n

Not all residents have evacuated. The Garden Grove Police Department says they are going door-to-door, but have a 15% refusal rate, ABC 7 reported.<\/a><\/p>\n

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