Efforts to stop California chemical leak in Orange County on new trajectory, officials say, as 50,000 remain evacuated

Efforts to stop a California industrial disaster were set on a potentially promising new path on Sunday, officials said, revealing that crews discovered a possible pressure-relieving crack in the tank behind a toxic chemical leak in Orange County, where 50,000 people remain evacuated.

In a post to X, Orange County Fire Authority Interim Chief TJ McGovern said the discovery still needs validating, but if confirmed, it could alter the strategy as crews search for a solution to the crisis.

“With this new information, it could change our trajectory and our strategy to this event,” he said. “Last night was a successful operation for this emerging incident.”

The crisis, entering its fourth day on Sunday, remained without a clear solution as a tank estimated to contain 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate continued to leak at GKN Aerospace in Garden Grove. 

OCFA Incident Commander and Division Chief Craig Covey said on Saturday that the temperature inside the tank was rising at a rate of about one degree per hour. That was contrary to the agency’s thinking on Friday, just hours after the leak caused the first evacuation orders on Thursday night.

When speaking to reporters on Sunday, California State Sen. Tom Umberg, who represents the area, said the temperature read 100 degrees during Saturday night’s operation, which is as high as the reading goes. He called the potential release of pressure “a good thing.”

“That may avoid the two concerns that we all had,” he said. “One was an explosion, the other was a leak of liquid material vaporizing into a toxic fume, a toxic plume.”

Covey offered a stark message during a news conference on Friday — the last time that officials faced reporters as a group to answer questions — and he laid out potential outcomes of the crisis.

“There are literally two options left remaining: One, the tank fails and spills a total of about [6,000] to 7,000 gallons of very bad chemicals into the parking lot and that area,” Covey said. “Or two, the tank goes into a thermal runaway and blows up, affecting the tanks that are around it that have fuel or chemicals in them as well.”

On Saturday, he said they’re evaluating potential third options.

“Letting this thing just fail and blow up is unacceptable to us,” Covey said. “Our goal is to find something and not allow that to happen.”

He added it’ll take “out of the box” thinking and that the OCFA is speaking to experts across the country for help on the issue. It’s not yet clear if state or federal authorities will come to Garden Grove to assist with the situation.

Gov. Gavin Newsom became involved on Saturday by proclaiming a state of emergency in Orange County, freeing up state funding and resources to assist with the situation.

“The safety of Orange County residents is the top priority,” Newsom said. “We are mobilizing every state resource available to support local responders and make sure the community has what they need to stay safe.”

Accountability became a focus of the crisis on Saturday night. Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer announced that his office had launched an investigation into the cause of the tank’s failure, asking whistleblowers in the community to come forward with information.

“I am indicating to employees who work at GKN: If you want to come forward and you want to be interviewed and you want to tell us what you know, now is the time,” Spitzer said. “When we launch an investigation, and we get to the bottom of what happened and why the system failed, if you haven’t come forward, you’re not gonna be treated the same as if you come forward early and you tell us what you know.”

Spitzer used words like “irresponsible” and “horrific” to describe the situation. Some evacuated residents agreed, as The X-Law Group P.C. and Presidio Law Firm LLP filed a class-action lawsuit against GKN Aerospace, seeking accountability for the disruption and potential health risks.

GKN Aerospace officials shared an updated statement on Sunday, saying that they are ” working round the clock to mitigate the risk of a leak.”

“We are acutely aware of the uncertainty this incident is causing and sincerely apologise for the ongoing disruption to the local community,” the statement reads. “Our priority remains the safe resolution of this incident, so that residents can return to their homes as quickly as possible.”

Potential blast radius

 In a post to X, OCFA Division Chief Nick Freeman showed a map with the potential blast radius if the tank were to explode. Garden Grove Mayor Pro-Tem George S. Brietigam later posted a higher-quality image of the map to Facebook.

Though difficult to read in the image provided, officials said that the innermost circle would see major structural damage, while the secondary ring could see moderate damage. The third ring would possibly see some damage, while the orange and yellow streaks show where flash fires or dangerous vapors could be released. The large red-shaded area is the evacuation zone, and the surrounding yellow-shaded spots on the map are non-hazardous areas where residents could smell the chemical, but it wouldn’t be harmful.

What is methyl methacrylate and what are the health impacts of exposure?

Health experts said that methyl methacrylate — a flammable plastic epoxy that generates its own heat — is a respiratory irritant and potential exposure could lead to lung, skin and eye irritation, nausea and dizziness. The chemical is heavier than air, so its vapor would settle and sink.

Air monitoring is ongoing, and drones are monitoring the temperature of the tank, officials said.

Experts say that the substance has a boiling point less than that of water and contains self-heating properties, which could lead to a “runaway effect.”

“In an uncontrolled environment with a leak, you can potentially have a lot in the atmosphere, and any flash or spark or even temperature can cause what is known as a runaway reaction,” said USC Assistant Professor of Chemistry Elias Picazo. “Where, when you begin the polymerization, it’s exothermic, meaning that the reaction releases heat. … Heat initiates the reaction, but the reaction releases heat, and so you get what we call ‘runaway,’ where it’s uncontrolled. It can lead to, yes, fires, explosions, where pressure really builds up very quickly.”

Orange County Health Officer Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong said those who deny evacuation orders could smell vapors coming from the chemical substance. It has a strong, fruity odor, she said, but smelling the odor doesn’t mean symptoms could be present.

“If you are not in the evacuation zone, we don’t expect any health impact,” she said. “If you were told to evacuate, please evacuate.”

In an update on Saturday night, South Coast Air Quality Management District Dr. Jason Lo reported that ongoing testing revealed that levels were “completely normal.”

A representative with the Environmental Protection Agency also said that since Friday, they have deployed 24 stationary monitors that work around the clock to monitor the air, and that speciality equipment revealed no gas had leaked from the tank.

When did the Garden Grove chemical leak start?

Crews arrived Thursday afternoon at the GKN Aerospace facility in the 12000 block of Western Avenue in Garden Grove after receiving a hazardous materials call just before 3:40 p.m. that day, according to OCFA. 

The chemical in the industrial tank initially stayed at the same temperature, officials said. However, about four hours after firefighters arrived, the temperature rose, causing a relief valve and sprinkler system to activate near the tank.  Firefighters said the sprinkler safety system is designed to cool off the tank if it starts leaking. 

The OCFA said crews initially made progress toward removing the chemical product but determined Friday morning that the “tank that is in the biggest crisis is in fact unable to be secured and mitigated.”

The cause of the leak remains under investigation. No injuries have been reported. 

Orange County evacuations

Orange County officials expanded evacuation orders on Friday to homes in a one-mile radius in several cities, including Garden Grove, Cypress, Stanton, Anaheim, Buena Park and Westminster. Evacuation orders were issued for people living in the zone that included: 

• Western border expanded to Valley View St.
• Northern border expanded to Ball Rd.
• Southern border expanded to Trask Ave.
• Eastern border expanded to Dale St.

There was no estimated timetable as to when the evacuation orders would be lifted. 

Evacuation centers, all of which also accept pets, are at the following locations:

Garden Grove: Garden Grove Sports & Recreation Center, 13641 Deodara Dr. 

Anaheim: Savanna High School, 301 N. Gilbert Street

Fountain Valley (FULL): Mountain Square Regional Park-Freedom Hall at 16801 Euclid Street

Fountain Valley (open overnight): Los Amigos High School at 16566 Newhope Street

La Palma (FULL): John F. Kennedy High School at 8281 Walker Street

Huntington Beach (FULL): Ocean View High School at 17071 Gothard Street

Huntington Beach (FULL): Golden West College at 15744 Goldenwest Street

American Red Cross says its volunteers are staffing evacuation centers, where they’re providing evacuees with food, water and health services if needed. More information about the American Red Cross’s involvement can be found here.

Safety information 

City of Garden Grove 24-hour call center (714) 741- 5444, or visit: ggcity.org/emergency

Orange County public information hotline (714) 628-7085.

Politician reaction

In response to Gov. Newsom’s state of emergency declaration, Rep. Derek Tran (CA-45) urged the governor to submit a request for a federal disaster declaration in the event of a catastrophic incident. This would activate the full support of the federal government, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Environmental Protection Agency. 

Orange County Supervisors Janet Nguyen, who represents Garden Grove, and Vicente Sarmiento have both been active in helping open additional evacuation centers for affected residents. Nguyen said that the Orange County Sheriff’s Department had patrols in place for the neighborhoods that had been evacuated to protect them from potential looting.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a consumer alert on price gouging during the state of emergency. Anyone who believed they fell victim to price gouging was urged to report the incident to the Attorney General’s Office.

“Amid the developing situation in Orange County, I urge residents in the impacted area to stay alert, follow all evacuation orders immediately, and monitor official channels for critical updates,” Bonta’s statement said. “California’s price gouging law protects people impacted by an emergency from illegal price gouging on housing, gas, food, and other essential supplies.”

County officials open investigation, tipline

On Saturday, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer announced that an anonymous tipline had been opened to the public as investigators sought information on the incident. 

Officials urged anyone with more information leading up to the incident, operations at the facility, maintenance of the tanks and systems or any other relevant information on GKN Aerospace to email [email protected], call the tip hotline at 714-347-8714 or fill out the anonymous form on their website.

“This is an incredibly volatile situation with extraordinary efforts being made by first responders to prevent a potentially catastrophic disaster,” said a statement from Spitzer. “Given the very real risk to human life as a result of this event, it is crucial that anyone who has information about this incident or the industrial operations at GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems, Inc. come forward and report it so that it can be thoroughly investigated by law enforcement.”

Spitzer spoke with CBS LA about the investigation into GKN Aerospace on Saturday, asking any citizens living around the facility or whistleblowers working at the company to come forward. 

Cancelations and closures

Garden Grove Unified School District officials closed 15 campuses on Friday morning and said they would remain closed until further notice as they continued monitoring the situation. Several schools were also indefinitely closed in the Magnolia, Savanna, Westminster and Cypress school districts. A full list of closures can be found on the Orange County Sheriff’s disaster resources website.

City officials said that the annual Garden Grove Strawberry Festival would move forward as scheduled, but that the 5k marathon and parade on Saturday were canceled.

Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley also said that the County of Orange Registrar of Voters had closed the Garden Grove Sports and Recreation Center Vote Center on Saturday, as it would instead operate as a care and shelter site.

In a post to its website, Disneyland said the park’s operation is completely unaffected by the situation.

“At this time, there is no impact to Disneyland Resort due to this situation and the resort remains open to guests. We are actively monitoring the situation and taking guidance from local authorities,” the statement reads. “The Disneyland Resort is approximately five miles from the incident and is not in the identified evacuation zone.”

A spokesperson for Knott’s Berry Farm also shared a statement on the situation. They said that the park would remain open and, if necessary, a safety team has been trained for emergency responses to help guide guests from the park.

“The safety and wellbeing of our guests and team members is a cornerstone of our business. We are working closely with our partners at the Orange County Fire Authority to actively monitor the situation,” the statement said. “At this time, the park has not been impacted.”

Services for evacuees

Several services were being provided for the nearly 50,000 people forced to evacuate from their homes and first responders dedicated to the ongoing incident. 

Uber has offered free rides to evacuees for up to $40 as they travel to temporary shelters. Those wishing to take advantage of the offer were advised to use the promo code “OCSAFE26” in the Wallet section of their Uber app to request a free ride to the shelter of their choosing. The offer is valid for two trips per rider through Monday, Uber officials said. 

Multiple hotels in Anaheim were also offering discounted rates for evacuees looking for another place to stay.  A full list of participating locations can be found on the Visit Anaheim website.

The Del Taco located at 11070 Garden Grove Boulevard was also offering free meals to first responders in uniform “as a thank-you for their efforts,” officials said in a news release.

Southern California communities monitor the situation

Officials in surrounding Southern California counties also noted that they were monitoring the potential impact to their communities. 

“Based on the latest update from Orange County officials, including current wind conditions, there is not a current threat to LA County communities,” said a statement shared on the Los Angeles County X account. “LA County officials are continuing to coordinate with public health, emergency management, and hazardous materials teams.”

They also said that there was ongoing communication with city officials in Lakewood, Long Beach and Hawaiian Gardens and that authorities were ready to respond if needed. 

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement that she’s closely monitoring the situation in Orange County.

“The Los Angeles Fire Department has confirmed that Los Angeles is not affected and there is no risk to the city,” she said. “The LAFD remains in close contact with the Orange County Fire Authority and Cal OES and is sending a Hazmat Specialist who will serve as a subject matter expert. The LAFD is on standby, ready to offer any further assistance and resources should they be needed. All Angelenos should avoid the area.”

In Riverside County, fire department officials said that there were no impacts that required proactive actions, but that they were closely following along. 

“As an all-hazard fire department, CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department regularly trains for a wide range of emergency incidents and maintains preparedness through ongoing training, planning, and interagency coordination,” a statement from Cal Fire officials said.

San Bernardino County Office of Emergency Services officials said that they were in contact with Orange County Fire Authority and emergency management officials to maintain situational awareness, but that there was no direct plume threat and that gas would disperse many miles from the county.