Emergency crews launched a high-stakes “offensive” overnight mission at a Southern California aerospace facility to neutralize an adjacent chemical tank, as the internal temperature of a failing primary tank has steadily climbed to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, prompting Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency Saturday and the evacuation of over 40,000 residents.
Orange County Fire Authority Incident Commander Greg Covey shared the “bad news” Saturday morning that crews who went into harm’s way overnight and manually checked the failing tank’s internal temperature gauge, which had been obscured from drone cameras by cooling water.
The temperature had reached 90 degrees, rising by an average of one degree per hour since it was recorded at 77 degrees on Friday morning.
Orange County Fire Authority Interim Chief T.J. McGovern and Covey previously warned there are only two catastrophic outcomes: The tank could fail and spill between 6,000 and 7,000 gallons of “very bad chemicals,” or undergo “thermal runaway” and explode, potentially triggering a chain reaction with neighboring fuel and chemical tanks.
The primary goal of the overnight operation, conducted with the support of a chemist team, was to neutralize a 15,000-gallon tank, removing its explosive potential in case the neighboring 7,000-gallon tank detonates, according to Covey.
Despite the rising temperatures, officials have developed a potential third outcome to avoid disaster.
By using a heavy, continuous deluge of water, crews hope the volatile chemical will “cure” and harden at a slower rate from the outside in, similar to an ice cube.
Covey said the team is hoping the void space at the top of the tank will absorb the overpressure from the curing process, preventing an explosion.
Simultaneously, crews are preparing aggressive contingency plans in case the tank fails and spills liquid.
Responders are establishing diking and damming measures to divert the potential fluid down a grade into a commercial holding area.
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The diversion would prevent the toxic chemical from reaching storm drains, river channels and the ocean, preventing an “environmental disaster.”
“Letting this thing just fail and blow up is unacceptable to us,” Covey said, noting that experts from across the country are consulting on the crisis.
Covey said Saturday evening that firefighters were beginning to shift from a defensive to an offensive operation and were entering the hazard area to try to mitigate the issue “at great personal risk.”
Newsom declared a state of emergency Saturday afternoon, allowing resources to flow to the scene.
The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services has been mobilized for more than 24 hours and state agencies are supporting impacted communities to protect public safety and assist local officials as response efforts continue, Newsom wrote in a statement on X.
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Officials with the EPA and the South Coast Air Quality Management District said Saturday evening that pollutant levels around evacuation zones remained normal.
The emergency began Thursday night when authorities discovered methyl methacrylate (MMA) — a volatile and flammable plastic epoxy — leaking from a storage tank at GKN Aerospace in Garden Grove, a facility that manufactures engine structures and products for commercial and military aircraft.
Firefighters initially put critical cooling measures in place and the situation was initially believed to be under control, allowing residents to temporarily return home.
The crisis severely escalated by Friday morning, and by 5 p.m. local time, crews had successfully used a “water curtain” to temporarily stabilize the temperature, buying experts time to brainstorm solutions.
“We are not giving up,” Covey said Saturday morning. “We are going to do everything we can to mitigate this, protect your residences, protect our environment and get you back home.”
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Garden Grove Police Chief Amir El-Farra announced that an expanded evacuation zone was implemented to protect the public from the imminent threat. Displaced families have been directed to numerous emergency evacuation centers.
OCFA Division Chief Nick Freeman presented a map Saturday showing multiple “blast zones” extending outward from the tank, including an innermost zone described as posing a risk of “severe structural damage and significant harm.”
Freeman said the next zone carried the potential for moderate blast damage capable of causing structural damage and injuries, followed by a lighter damage zone where impacts would be more limited.
He also outlined expanding hazard zones tied to potential flash fires and dangerous air conditions, with outer areas considered nonhazardous.
Health officials warned of severe risks if the chemical tank ruptures.
Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong of the Orange County Health Care Agency said if the chemical reacts and temperatures rise, it can create a highly toxic vapor.
“My biggest concern is that if that vapor goes into the air, and people inhale that, it causes significant damage,” Chinsio-Kwong said, warning it can cause severe respiratory issues and irritation to the eyes, nose and lungs.
“No matter what happens with the situation, whether the polymer just leaks out and then just hardens, or if it does explode and there is a vapor, you are all safe as long as you are out of the zone,” she continued.
She later added that officials do not expect health impacts outside the evacuation zone and said residents outside the area do not need to wear masks.
Rep. Derek Tran, D-Calif., released a statement saying he is closely monitoring the situation alongside local officials.
Tran confirmed he is in contact with federal disaster relief officials, including FEMA and the EPA.
FEMA and the EPA did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
