Orange County DA Opens Probe Into GKN Aerospace Over Chemical Tank Incident

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer announced late Saturday that his office opened an investigation into GKN Aerospace after a chemical tank at the company’s Garden Grove plant began overheating. The incident forced evacuations across a nearly 10-square-mile area that included Garden Grove, Anaheim, Stanton, Cypress, Buena Park and Westminster.

Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Saturday afternoon as the danger zone expanded.

5-acre facility on Western Avenue, holds about 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate, a chemical used to make plastic. Orange County Fire Authority division chief Craig Covey said the tank could either crack and leak or explode. Crews worked through Friday and Saturday to prevent the chemical from reaching storm drains or waterways.

Covey described efforts to develop multiple contingency plans during a Friday afternoon news conference.

GKN Aerospace, a United Kingdom-based firm, has operated at the site since 2004. The facility produces military canopies, cockpit windows and passenger windows for aircraft including the F-35, Boeing 787 and Airbus A350. The company’s Garden Grove location has undergone four OSHA inspections since 2018 that resulted in 10 violations.

In 2019 the California Department of Industrial Relations sought a court order for the company to pay $2,898 in unpaid civil penalties related to equipment maintenance and injury-prevention programs.

Spitzer said the cooling-system failure appeared unreasonable for a defense contractor handling volatile chemicals and pledged to pursue compensation for affected residents. ” — Todd Spitzer, Orange County District Attorney, May 23, 2026 (Orange County Register) A GKN Aerospace spokesperson told the Los Angeles Times that the company was working with emergency crews and that safety remained the top priority.

The spokesperson added that the firm follows all standard safety protocols and is regularly audited by state and federal agencies. Congressman Derek Tran said he had spoken with company leadership and urged GKN to take full responsibility for the disruption experienced by tens of thousands of residents.