This browser does not support the Video element.
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. - Emergency crews continue to work around the clock to prevent a chemical plant in Garden Grove from leaking or exploding, with an estimated 50,000 Orange County residents under evacuation orders.
Monday marks Day 5 of crews responding to GKN Aerospace after one of its chemical tanks overheated to dangerous levels and one of its corners possibly cracked.
This browser does not support the Video element.
Crews working to eliminate threat of massive explosion
Crews worked through the night and into the morning for the night to eliminate the threat of a massive explosion.
See the latest updates below.
Threat of explosion eliminated
8:03 a.m.: The Orange County Fire Authority said the threat of an explosion has been eliminated.
"We are happy to report that the threat of BLEVE (Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion) is now off the table. That threat has been eliminated," officials said on social media.
Officials said the temperature has been stabilized and is decreasing, adding that the temperatures is at 93 degrees which is down from 100 degrees.
Theme parks remain open
8 a.m.: Some of Southern California’s biggest theme parks are near the chemical leak and have not been impacted. Knott’s Berry Farm, which is about five miles away, has not been impacted. Disneyland, which is also about 5 miles away, also remains fully operational. A Disney spokesperson confirmed with FOX 11 there was no impact to the park or the resorts.
Park officials continue to monitor the situation.
Three possible scenarios
7 a.m.: The Orange County Fire Authority said there is no active leak and they continue to do atmospheric monitoring to confirm that. On Monday morning, all eyes and water hoses remained on the tank filled with that hazardous chemical known as MMA, which is used in a variety of products to make acrylic plastics like plexiglass.
Crews were also preparing for three possible scenarios:
- Explosion: If the chemical continues to heat.
- Rupture: Chemical spill.
- Stabilization: Cooling operations successful.
Crews working to prevent explosion
6 a.m.: Officials said 50,000 people remain evacuated as the firefighters worked through the night and into the morning for the high-stakes operation.
EVACUATIONS
The current mandatory evacuation zone forms a one-mile buffer around the facility, encompassing parts of Garden Grove, Westminster, and Anaheim.
The boundaries cover the following areas:
- North of: Trask Avenue
- South of: Ball Road
- East of: Valley View Street
- West of: Dale Street
EVACUATION CENTERS
The backstory:
The incident began on Thursday, May 21 at GKN Aerospace on Western Avenue in Garden Grove.
That's where a 34,000-gallon storage tank containing methyl methacrylate (MMA), a toxic, highly flammable liquid chemical used to manufacture acrylic plastics, began to overheat.
During the earlier stages of the investigation, Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) Division Chief Craig Covey said a faulty valve on the tank prevented crews from off-loading or introducing a neutralizing stabilizer into the chemical material.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
- Unstable Garden Grove chemical tank keeps 50,000 under evacuation orders
- Class-action lawsuit filed amid Garden Grove chemical crisis and mass evacuations
- Overheated GKN Aerospace tank faces explosion or leak
The Source: This report used information provided by the Orange County Fire Authority and the City of Garden Grove.