Due to an emergency related to a malfunctioning hazardous chemical storage tank, the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) and local law enforcement today have issued mandatory evacuation orders for the surrounding facility.
Photo Credit: Screenshot of OCFA and local law enforcement Critical Incident Update
Emergency crews responded yesterday, May 21, 2026, to a hazardous materials call at the GKN Aerospace facility located in the 12000 block of Western Avenue in Garden Grove. The emergency was due to an overheated 34,000 gallon tank containing methyl methacrylate, a highly volatile, flammable, and toxic chemical used to make acrylic plastics and aerospace components. As a result of the overheating, the tank began releasing toxic vapors into the sky.
The initial response to the emergency was to douse the tank with water to cool it own, however, the situation worsened this morning. Additionally, according to OCFA Division Chief Craig Covey, the chemical cannot be safely removed because of an inoperable valve on the tank and is therefore considered to be "unable to be secured and mitigated."
Although there is no active toxic gas plume in the air surrounding the emergency, officials fear that because of the thermal characteristics of methyl methacrylate (a self-heating substance), they are facing a critical thermal runaway threat that leaves them, currently, with only two outcomes:
1. Tank failure, which would result in the spill of approximately 6,000 to 7,000 gallons of the chemical into the immediate industrial complex and parking lot, or,
2. Catastrophic thermal runaway and explosion, which could potentially impact nearby tanks that contain fuel and other chemicals.
Because of this concern, a massive one-mile buffer zone has been established, resulting in the following mandatory evacuation zone:
- North of Trask Avenue
- South of Ball Road
- East of Valley View Street
- West of Dale Street
Additionally, the following temporary resources and shelters have been established:
- Stanton City Hall, 7800 Katella Ave., Stanton (temporary shelter)
- Community Recreation Center, 13641 Deodora Drive, Garden Grove (reunification center)
The following school closures have also been announced:
The Garden Grove Unified School District has closed several campuses and district facilities until further notice. All outdoor activities for schools outside the evacuation zone have been canceled.
No injuries have been reported as of yet and specialized HAZMAT teams are still on site attempting to manage the tank.
