Water is sprayed onto the damaged tank at GKN Aerospace in Garden Grove, California.Image: keystone
May 25, 2026, 7:27 p.mMay 25, 2026, 7:31 p.m
A tank containing a highly toxic and highly flammable chemical on a company site south of the US metropolis of Los Angeles has been worrying authorities for days – and has driven tens of thousands of residents from their homes. Since steam was spotted escaping last Thursday, there has been great concern about an explosion from the heating tank. In the morning (local time) there were now signs of relaxation.
According to the Orange County Fire Department, “the risk of a chemical explosion has been eliminated.” “The tank released pressure,” said Chief Craig Covey in a video on the Orange County Fire Department’s X account. It initially remained unclear whether any risk of explosion could be averted. The temperature of the chemical called methyl methacrylate has stabilized and is falling. A crack in the tank had previously given hope that the tank could release pressure inside. “This is incredibly positive news,” said Covey.
Chemical temperature dropped
Emergency crews continued to inspect the tank on Monday night, confirmed the crack, and found that the temperature had dropped from 100 degrees Fahrenheit (about 37.7 degrees Celsius) to 93 degrees Fahrenheit (about 33.9 degrees Celsius). The “feel-good temperature” of methyl methacrylate is 50 degrees Fahrenheit, Covey told US broadcaster CNN.
The rescue workers on site.Image: keystone
The Orange County Fire Department has been on duty for days. Measures such as cooling the tank from the outside with water, which is intended to prevent it from overheating and exploding, had no effect. On the contrary: the temperature of the chemical had risen continuously.
Tens of thousands of people fear for their homes
Around 50,000 people who live in the so-called danger zone around Garden Grove had to leave their homes and spent the weekend in hotels, emergency accommodation provided or even in their cars. According to US media reports, they not only fear for their homes, but are also wondering when and if they will be able to return at all.
Although the risk of a chemical explosion is “off the table,” according to interim fire department chief TJ McGovern, the evacuation zones remain in effect. In connection with the chemical explosion, McGovern and Covey spoke of a so-called “BLEVE”, a “Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion”, in German roughly the “explosion of boiling liquids with expanding vapor”.
An evacuation map is posted at the operations control center at Los Alamitos Racecourse.Image: keystone
A leak would also pose great dangers, as the chemical called methyl methacrylate is highly flammable and could also cause environmental damage, as the Orange County Fire Department writes in a danger scenario picked up by the media.
Company regrets incident
In view of the dangerous situation, California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for the affected district in Orange County on Saturday. The state can now hope for more help and money from the US government in Washington. The approximately 34,000 gallon (approximately 129,000 liter) tank is said to contain up to 7,000 liters of methyl methacrylate. Contact with the chemical can cause respiratory problems and irritation of the skin and eyes, as the US broadcaster CNN writes, citing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
According to media reports, the company GKN Aerospace in Garden Grove, on whose premises the tank is located along with others, regrets the incident and has apologized to residents for the uncertainty it caused. They will do everything possible and work with the authorities to avert the danger, it said in a statement. (sda/dpa)