Evacuation centers in Southern California remain open Saturday as emergency crews work to prevent an overheated chemical storage tank from exploding just one mile from Disneyland's two theme parks. No injuries have been reported following Thursday's incident, when a pressurized tank began venting vapors in Garden Grove, according to the Orange County Fire Authority. Over 40,000 people were ordered to evacuate, with shelters established at three local high schools by Friday night.
The primary risk is that the tank, holding 6,000 to 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate (a plastic-making chemical) at GKN Aerospace, could either rupture and spill or explode, said Orange County Fire Authority Division Chief Craig Covey. Drones have been monitoring the tank's temperature, and by Friday evening, cooling efforts had shown success, Covey stated.
I won't stand by and watch this thing blow up or fail, Covey declared in a social media update. Our team is working tirelessly for a safe resolution so you can return home as quickly as possible. Please remain patient.
Authorities urged the public to avoid non-emergency calls to 911, especially for suggestions on solutions, as they emphasized they have experts working on the crisis. Evacuation orders were first issued for Garden Grove residents and later expanded to five other Orange County cities: Cypress, Stanton, Anaheim, Buena Park, and Westminster on Friday.
Garden Grove, located 38 miles south of downtown Los Angeles, is just under a mile from Disneyland's theme parks, which were never under evacuation orders. The city's large Vietnamese community received updates via local TV stations. Crews have deployed sandbags to create barriers that will contain any potential spill, preventing chemical runoff into storm drains, creeks, or the ocean.
Health officials warn that the chemical vapor can cause respiratory issues, eye irritation, nausea, and headaches, as stated by Orange County Health Officer Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong. While crews successfully neutralized one of two damaged tanks, the remaining vessel was deemed to be in the biggest crisis by Covey on Friday morning.
GKN Aerospace stated it is fully focused on collaborating with emergency services and hazardous material teams to ensure the safety of the community, employees, and all involved.\}
The primary risk is that the tank, holding 6,000 to 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate (a plastic-making chemical) at GKN Aerospace, could either rupture and spill or explode, said Orange County Fire Authority Division Chief Craig Covey. Drones have been monitoring the tank's temperature, and by Friday evening, cooling efforts had shown success, Covey stated.
I won't stand by and watch this thing blow up or fail, Covey declared in a social media update. Our team is working tirelessly for a safe resolution so you can return home as quickly as possible. Please remain patient.
Authorities urged the public to avoid non-emergency calls to 911, especially for suggestions on solutions, as they emphasized they have experts working on the crisis. Evacuation orders were first issued for Garden Grove residents and later expanded to five other Orange County cities: Cypress, Stanton, Anaheim, Buena Park, and Westminster on Friday.
Garden Grove, located 38 miles south of downtown Los Angeles, is just under a mile from Disneyland's theme parks, which were never under evacuation orders. The city's large Vietnamese community received updates via local TV stations. Crews have deployed sandbags to create barriers that will contain any potential spill, preventing chemical runoff into storm drains, creeks, or the ocean.
Health officials warn that the chemical vapor can cause respiratory issues, eye irritation, nausea, and headaches, as stated by Orange County Health Officer Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong. While crews successfully neutralized one of two damaged tanks, the remaining vessel was deemed to be in the biggest crisis by Covey on Friday morning.
GKN Aerospace stated it is fully focused on collaborating with emergency services and hazardous material teams to ensure the safety of the community, employees, and all involved.\}
