Toxic Leak at Garden Grove Plant Prompts Evacuation of 40,000 Residents

A leaking chemical tank at the GKN Aerospace plant in Garden Grove has forced the evacuation of about 40,000 residents in central Orange County. The 34,000-gallon vessel began releasing methyl methacrylate on Thursday. Officials warned Friday that the tank faces a high risk of explosion and issued orders covering all areas north of Garden Grove Boulevard, east of Monarch Street, south of Orangewood Avenue, and west of Beach Boulevard.

Four evacuation centers are now operating.

Sites in Fountain Valley, La Palma, and Anaheim opened first; an additional center opened overnight in Huntington Beach. Lines stretched out the door at the Fountain Valley location on Friday night. Some residents arrived without medication or other essentials after leaving on short notice.

Authority officials described two remaining outcomes during a Friday press conference. “One, the tank fails and spills a total of about 6,000 to 7,000 gallons of very bad chemicals into the parking lot in that area,” Division Chief Craig Covey said. “Or two, the tank goes into a thermal runaway and blows up.” Covey added that crews are working to determine how or when they can prevent failure.

Grove police are conducting door-to-door checks and report a 15 percent refusal rate among residents told to leave. Some evacuees were later allowed to return briefly to retrieve medication and supplies.