Chemical Tank Leak in Southern California Sparks Explosion Fears; 40,000 Residents Evacuated

A chemical storage tank near Disneyland in Southern California began leaking steam on the 21st due to overheating. Authorities warned today that the tank could explode, potentially spreading toxic gas into densely populated areas, and have ordered the emergency evacuation of approximately 40,000 residents. According to the Associated Press, the leak occurred at a plastic factory owned by aerospace manufacturer GKN Aerospace in Garden Grove, Orange County. Garden Grove is located about 61 kilometers south of downtown Los Angeles and is home to a large and active Vietnamese-American community. It is also less than 1.6 kilometers from Disneyland's two theme parks. As of the 22nd, no evacuation order has been issued for Disneyland. According to Agence France-Presse, the tank contained 7,000 gallons (approximately 26,000 liters) of methyl methacrylate (MMA), a volatile and flammable liquid commonly used in plastic manufacturing. Local fire departments have warned that the situation is critical. Incident Commander Craig Covey stated, "There are only two scenarios left. First, the tank ruptures, and 6,000 to 7,000 gallons of hazardous chemicals flow into the local parking lot; second, the tank explodes due to thermal runaway, affecting other nearby tanks containing fuel or chemicals." He added, "We are arranging evacuation procedures to address these two possibilities: either a leak or an explosion. Please cooperate with the evacuation." Garden Grove Police Chief Amir El-Farra noted that while about 40,000 people have been asked to evacuate, thousands are still refusing to leave their homes. Aerial footage from local television stations shows firefighters spraying water onto the tank, which has a total capacity of 34,000 gallons. Orange County health officials have also urged the public to report immediately if they smell a "strong fruity odor." "Smelling the odor does not necessarily mean the gas concentration is high enough to cause symptoms, but we do not want anyone to smell it, so please notify us if you do," they stated. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's website, MMA irritates human skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. "Short-term and long-term inhalation is known to cause respiratory symptoms. There are also reports of neurological symptoms following acute exposure (high-dose exposure over a short period)."