Chemical blast fears trigger mass evacuation in California (VIDEOS)
Thousands have been evacuated from parts of Southern California after a chemical tank raised fears of an explosion and toxic release Read Full Article at RT.com
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Authorities fear that a pressurized tank containing methyl methacrylate could rupture near residential neighborhoods in Orange County
Up to 50,000 residents have been ordered to evacuate parts of Orange County, California, as authorities warned that a damaged chemical tank remains at risk of leaking or exploding.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency in Orange County as emergency crews work to contain the crisis at a GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove, about 61 kilometers (38 miles) from Los Angeles. The pressurized tank contains between 6,000 and 7,000 gallons (22,700–26,500 liters) of methyl methacrylate (MMA), a highly flammable industrial chemical used in plastic production.
The incident began Thursday when the tank started venting vapors, according to the Orange County Fire Authority. Officials later said there was no active gas leak or plume but warned that the vessel remained unstable and could still fail.
What started out as a chemical leak has now escalated into an emergency officials say could end in a massive explosion.
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 23, 2026
Fire crews in Orange County, California, spent hours trying to stabilize a 34,000-gallon tank containing volatile chemicals before announcing that the tank… pic.twitter.com/mvEEsXNpQF
Responders initially believed the situation had stabilized after crews cooled the exterior with water, following drone thermometer readings showing the temperature had fallen to 61 degrees Fahrenheit (16 degrees Celsius). It was later discovered that the drones had measured only the outer shell of the container, while manual readings showed internal heat levels were still rising.
BREAKING
