California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Orange County on Saturday due to the potential explosion of a chemical tank at an aerospace facility.
“The state continues to assist in local response efforts following a hazardous chemical incident at an aerospace facility that has resulted in the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents from the surrounding area,” a press release from Newsom’s office stated.
The proclamation directs the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and all state government agencies to support Orange County and impacted local jurisdictions to address the emergency. It also unlocks additional emergency response resources, including making state-owned properties and fairgrounds available for sheltering evacuated residents.
Newsom emphasized that “the safety of Orange County residents is the top priority. We are mobilizing every state resource available to support local responders and make sure the community has what they need to stay safe.”
Over 40,000 residents have been evacuated as emergency crews race to cool an overheating tank at a Southern California aerospace facility. Officials warn that the tank could either explode or spill thousands of gallons of toxic chemicals, triggering an environmental disaster.
Orange County Fire Authority Division Chief Craig Covey reported Saturday morning that the temperature of the tank has increased from 77 degrees to 90 degrees. He explained that this reading was taken with a drone on the external surface of the tank rather than the actual liquid interior. “Yesterday afternoon I did report that we had some positive intel and that the tanks were stable, and we were keeping the temperature cool,” Covey said. “Unfortunately, I have to say those temperatures we are doing is via drone, doing readings on the external of the vessel. It’s not covering the interior temperatures inside of what actually [is in] the liquid.”
Covey noted that the liquid is increasing by a degree per hour on average and that fire officials expect the tank to either rupture or potentially explode. If it explodes, it could damage nearby properties and ignite a fire.
Orange County Representative Derek Tran expressed concern about two other tanks at the facility. “While those tanks are not failing, they contain 30-something thousand additional gallons of the same toxic chemicals,” he stated during a Saturday press conference.
The industrial tank at the Garden Grove facility is estimated to contain approximately 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate, a highly volatile and flammable substance used in plastic production.
Covey said the situation remains critical: “This thing is gonna fail. We don’t know when.” He added that there are two primary options left: either the tank spills about 6,000 to 7,000 gallons of chemicals into the parking lot and surrounding area, or it undergoes a thermal runaway and explodes, affecting nearby tanks.
Firefighters have stabilized the temperature of the compromised tank but officials remain uncertain about when the crisis will resolve. Covey said they are developing contingency plans in case an explosion occurs. “We don’t know when it’s going to end,” he stated. “We’re not giving up. We’re not going to let this just go.”
A team has been assembled to search for solutions to depressurize the tank and mitigate exposure, calling on experts throughout the state and country.
