Authorities in Orange County, California, have ordered the evacuation of an estimated 40,000 people on Friday due to concerns that a storage tank containing a toxic chemical may spill or explode. Officials described the situation as actively in crisis and expanded the evacuation zone across several cities in Southern California.
The incident began Thursday at a GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove. A storage tank holding methyl methacrylate, a highly flammable and hazardous chemical used to fabricate resins and plastics, began off-gassing and overheated.
Fire authorities have urged residents to follow all evacuation orders, warning that the tank is threatened to fail. Officials expressed grave concern that the failing tank will fail, leading to a potential spill or explosion.