Garden Grove chemical tank update: Cleanup efforts to begin and legal claims mount

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass says city officials are closely monitoring a chemical tank crisis unfolding in Garden Grove, impacting tens of thousands of Orange County residents.

Bass says the Los Angeles Fire Department has confirmed that the city of Los Angeles is not affected and there is no risk to the city.

"The LAFD remains in close contact with the Orange County Fire Authority and Cal OES and is sending a Hazmat Specialist who will serve as a subject matter expert," Bass wrote in a statement on social media. "The LAFD is on standby, ready to offer any further assistance and resources should they be needed. All Angelenos should avoid the area."

Rideshare app Uber is offering support for Orange County residents impacted by the chemical tank emergency in Garden Grove.

Uber is offering all impacted residents traveling to temporary shelters free rides up to $40.

"We're in close contact with local officials and emergency responders and want to help make sure anyone who needs to get to safety has access to transportation," said Ramona Prieto, Uber's Head of Policy and Communications for the Western U.S. "As the situation continues to evolve, we stand ready to support impacted communities however we can."

The discount applies to rides requested from designated locations within the evacuation order and heading to the following locations:

• Freedom Hall at Mile Square Regional Park: 16801 Euclid Street, Fountain Valley
• John F. Kennedy High School: 8281 Walker Street, La Palma
• Savanna High School: 301 North Gilbert Street, Anaheim
• Oceanview High School: 17071 Gothard Street, Huntington Beach
• Garden Grove Sports & Recreation Center:13641 Deodara Dr, Garden Grove
• Cypress Community Center: 5700 Orange Ave, Cypress

To redeem the discount, riders must apply the promo code "OCSAFE26" in the wallet section of their Uber app prior to requesting the ride. The offer is valid for two trips per rider, up to $40 per ride, through May 25. Driver earnings will not be affected by the discount, though the promo code does not apply to tips.

Approximately 50,000 Orange County residents across Garden Grove, West Anaheim, Cypress and Stanton are under a mandatory evacuation order due to an unstable chemical tank at GKN Aerospace.

Authorities say the tank will likely either spill thousands of gallons of a highly toxic chemical or, even worse, explode if it fails.

The following is a list of evacuation shelters available to impacted residents:

Los Amigos High School
16566 Newhope St., Fountain Valley, CA 92708 - (714) 628-7085 (Public Hotline)

Oceanview High School
17071 Gothard St., Huntington Beach, CA 92647 - (714) 848-0656

John F. Kennedy High School
8281 Walker St., La Palma, CA 90623 - (714) 220-4101

Mile Square Regional Park - Freedom Hall
16801 Euclid St., Fountain Valley, CA 92708 - (714) 973-6600

Savanna High School
301 N. Gilbert St., Anaheim, CA 92801 - (714) 628-7085 (Public Hotline)

Golden West College - Gymnasium (North Entrance)
15744 Goldenwest St., Huntington Beach, CA 92647 - (714) 628-7085 (Public Hotline)

Los Alamitos High School
3591 West Cerritos Avenue, Los Alamitos, CA 90720 - (714) 628-7085 (Public Hotline)

OC Fair & Events Center -RV Shelter
88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, Enter Gate 4, Lot E - (714) 628-7085 (Public Hotline)

Visit ocsheriff.gov and ggcity.org to see their availability. All locations accept pets except for Golden West College.

Residents can call the Orange County Public Information Hotline at (714) 628-7085.

With the temperature of the unstable tank rising, crews are working to determine if the toxic chemical is still a liquid or if it has solidified.

In an update on Saturday afternoon, Orange County Fire Authority said the unstable tank at the GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove remains extremely hot, and crews are working around the clock to stabilize the situation.

OCFA Chief Craig Covey called this a "worst-case scenario," the worst he has faced in his 32-year career.

Authorities are warning that the threat of a leak or explosion still appears imminent at this time.

GKN Aerospace revealed that the temperature of the tank was rising by about one degree per hour, and not decreasing as hoped.

The temperature actually increased to 90 degrees from the 77 degrees it was on Friday morning, officials said.

OCFA has been bringing in people from all over the country to help tackle the situation from all angles.

"Think about an ice cube, right? When you freeze water, it starts from the outside in, until the end is solid. That's what's going on here. Have we slowed down that chemical reaction enough that it is slowly curing and losing its intensity to be able to blow up? The question that goes with that is, when it does that, it's pressurizing," Covey said.

Covey described it as a one-inch steel tank. He said experts are trying to find technology, possibly radar, that can see through the tank to detect the status of the liquid inside.

For now, crews are still working to determine if the chemical has solidifed or not.

GKN Aerospace posted a statement on its website on Saturday, saying the team is fully focused on working with emergency services and specialized teams to ensure everyone's safety.

They also apologized to residents and businesses who've had to evacuate and thanked Orange County Emergency Services for their assistance.