GKN Aerospace Plant in Garden Grove Faces Overheating Chemical Tank
A storage tank holding 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate at the GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove has been overheating since Thursday. Officials expanded evacuation orders across six Orange County cities, affecting an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 residents.
nypost.comEmergency crews continued efforts Sunday to stabilize a storage tank at a GKN Aerospace plant in Garden Grove after the container began overheating Thursday. The tank holds roughly 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate, a flammable chemical used in plastics manufacturing.
m. Monday, the point at which the chemical may generate heat faster than crews can remove it. The South Coast Air Quality Management District said the condition is known as thermal runaway.
Aerospace reached a $910,000 settlement with the South Coast Air Quality Management District in January 2025 over permit violations, missing emissions records, and nitrogen oxide issues at the same Garden Grove facility. Inspectors first documented violations during a November 2020 inspection.
The agency issued a notice of violation in April 2021 and continued working with the company on documentation and compliance in subsequent years.
County fire officials said a pressure-release valve malfunction on Friday prevented crews from stopping the reaction. Evacuation orders were expanded to Garden Grove, Anaheim, Buena Park, Cypress, Stanton, and Westminster. California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Saturday to provide additional state resources and shelter locations.
Garden Grove Mayor Stephanie Klopfenstein urged remaining residents to leave, stating the situation is very dangerous. Hazmat teams are monitoring temperatures and applying cooling measures. Officials said crews may need to withdraw if conditions continue to deteriorate.
Key Facts
Story Timeline
5 events- Thursday morning
Chemical tank at GKN Aerospace Garden Grove plant began overheating and venting vapors.
1 sourcenypost.com - Friday
Pressure-release valve malfunction worsened the reaction, officials said.
1 sourcenypost.com - Saturday
California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for the incident.
1 sourcenypost.com - Sunday
Evacuation orders covered six Orange County cities affecting 40,000-50,000 residents.
1 sourcenypost.com - Monday 10 a.m.
Tank temperature may reach 140F, the threshold for thermal runaway.
1 sourcenypost.com
Potential Impact
- 01
Residents of six Orange County cities remain displaced pending tank stabilization.
- 02
State resources remain allocated under the emergency declaration issued Saturday.
- 03
GKN Aerospace operations at the Garden Grove site are suspended during the emergency.
Transparency Panel
Related Stories
The GuardianWHO Chief Visits DRC as Ebola Death Rate Reaches 30-50%
World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrived in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to support containment of a new Ebola outbreak. The agency revised the death rate to 30-50% based on confirmed cases and recorded 10 confirmed and 223 suspected d…
westernjournal.comGreek National Charged in UK With Aiding Iran-Linked Intelligence Service
A 46-year-old Greek man living in Germany was charged under the UK National Security Act with assisting an intelligence service believed to be Iran by targeting a journalist at Iran International.
upi.comSupreme Court Revives Havana Docks Lawsuit Over Confiscated Cuban Property
The U.S. Supreme Court sent a Helms-Burton Act case back to lower courts for further argument. The suit seeks damages from cruise lines that used docks seized by Cuba in 1959.