More than 40,000 Californians evacuated due to chemical tank leak
Summary
More than 40,000 people in southern California were evacuated because a chemical tank leaked at an aerospace factory. Fire officials are working to control the leak and prevent an explosion or spill of dangerous chemicals.Key Facts
- A tank at a factory in Garden Grove, California, leaked about 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate, a flammable chemical used to make plastic.
- The Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) ordered evacuations starting Thursday afternoon and expanded the area later.
- Three tanks are at the site; one has a broken cooling system causing the leak.
- OCFA Chief Craig Covey said the tank could fail and spill harmful chemicals or explode, damaging nearby tanks.
- Hazmat (hazardous materials) teams are trying to safely lower the tank's pressure to stop the leak.
- Evacuation centers and a hotline were set up for affected residents.
- OCFA asks people not to call with suggestions about handling the situation.
- Fire officials have stopped further temperature increases but still don’t know exactly when the tank might fail.
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