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All evacuation orders lifted, no threat of explosion, fire or leak at Garden Grove chemical tank

Last updated: Wednesday, May 27, 2026 7:42AM GMT
All evacuation orders lifted in Garden Grove chemical tank crisis

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. (KABC) -- There is no longer a threat of explosion, fire or chemical leak for a damaged tank at the GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove, the Orange County Fire Authority announced on Tuesday night.

All evacuation orders were officially lifted at 7:30 p.m., allowing the final 16,000 evacuated Orange County residents to return home. Initially, 50,000 residents were evacuated from their homes last week.

A tank carrying 6,500 gallons of the highly toxic chemical methyl methacrylate (MMA) became unstable last week, causing the tank to heat up uncontrollably. For a few days, officials said the tank would either explode or spill out, and either outcome was inevitable.

Eventually, the tank cracked, allowing the pressure to release and eliminating the threat of a BLEVE, which stands for Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion.

Then, crews worked a risky mission to confirm that the pressure had been released and to remove weather insulation from the outside of the tank to help the water be more efficient at cooling the temperature down.

Still, a threat remained for a fire or a small explosion. Firefighters continued to try to get the tank to stabilize and were eventually able to stop dousing it with water. On Tuesday afternoon, crews were seen freely walking around the tank and climbing on top of it.

By Tuesday night, OCFA declared that there was no longer a risk to surrounding residents and all evacuation orders were lifted. No injuries were reported.

The investigation into what caused the material in the tank to overheat is ongoing. Residents have already filed a class action lawsuit against GKN Aerospace.

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ABCNews logo
May 24, 2026, 12:45 PM GMT

Some 50,000 residents under evacuation orders

Mandatory evacuations have expanded for some 50,000 residents in the Garden Grove area, according to an internal briefing memo reviewed by ABC News.

There are multiple public facilities nearby -- including schools, hospitals, nursing homes, fire and law enforcement stations -- critical infrastructure, and essential services, all currently subject to mandatory evacuation and ongoing response operations.

Multiple roads have also been closed off in the evacuation zone. Evacuation centers have been established across Garden Grove, Cypress, Stanton City Hall, Anaheim, and Buena Park, the memo said.

ABC News contributed to this report.

Phillip Palmer Image
May 26, 2026, 12:48 AM GMT

Residents file class action lawsuit over unstable chemical tank in Garden Grove

GKN Aerospace, the company responsible for the unstable chemical tank in Garden Grove, is already facing a class action lawsuit.

GKN Aerospace, the company responsible for the unstable chemical tank in Garden Grove, is already facing a class action lawsuit over the potential disaster.

Two residents who live in the evacuation zone are named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit, but the class action status covers anyone in the evacuation zone. With 50,000 under evacuation orders, the number of plaintiffs is expected to grow.

The lawyers behind the suit say evacuated families deserve answers, accountability and representation now. They say they're focused on protecting property rights, preserving evidence and making sure residents have a voice.

"You got to consider the fact that when you're storing highly toxic, highly volatile chemical compounds, you take on a responsibility. These are things that can be lethal in very small doses. and can create massive damage. So, if you don't act in a prudent way, you become responsible for your actions," said Filippo Marchino, the founder and managing partner of the X-Law Group. "So, to boil it down to answer your question, yes, we have a strict liability claim, but we also have simpler claims, like for example, negligence, which are equally powerful under the law."

The X-Law Group and Presidio Law Firm are leading the class action lawsuit.

While not making a direct comment on the lawsuit, the company did release a statement which says, in part:

"We are continuing to work around the clock with the OCFA, the EPA and all relevant federal, state and local agencies to mitigate the ongoing risk of a leak... We apologize for the ongoing disruption this incident is causing, and our priority remains its safe resolution, so that residents can return to their homes as quickly as possible."

Attorneys point out that the active costs of displacement can add up very quickly, for example, the price of eating out, getting gas and paying for a hotel.

When you factor in the loss of the use of your own property, the attorneys believe conservative estimates for the damages could reach hundreds of millions, if not billions of dollars.

Amy Powell Image
May 24, 2026, 6:52 AM GMT

Orange County shelters fill as residents evacuate due to tank crisis

Most of the available shelters for Orange County residents are at or near capacity, with tens of thousands of residents displaced.

The evacuation zone for a toxic chemical crisis unfolding in Orange County covers the west side of Garden Grove, the entire community of Stanton, and small portions of West Anaheim, Cypress and Buena Park. There are nine shelters set up, and almost all of them are completely full.

It was another night away from home for tens of thousands of Orange County residents. The threat of a catastrophic explosion or a toxic leak at a Garden Grove plant forced mandatory evacuations.

Many families are spending a second night sleeping on cots at John F. Kennedy High School in La Palma.

Ju Pyo, her husband and three children had no luck finding a hotel room, so they came to the shelter.

"We are the last family allowed to come in at this point. It was like 10:30 or 11 in the morning. So we are lucky," Pyo said.

Several shelters have been opened to support residents of Garden Grove and at least a half dozen surrounding communities forced to evacuate because of the danger.

The Red Cross is providing the families with meals and supplies.

"Gotta go somewhere safe, right? Gotta think about the kids," said Jessica Gonzalez of Stanton.

Some residents are expressing frustration about the amount of time it's taking to solve the crisis.

"If there's an explosion, there's going to be stuff in the air, and if there's a leak, there's going to be stuff in the air. So, what is the choice?" said resident Lisa. "We all want to be in our homes."

Others say they don't want to take chances. They will wait until the danger is over.

"They're all experts working all together to find an answer," said Pyo.

KABC logo
May 24, 2026, 7:08 AM GMT

Map shows potential OC blast zone if unstable chemical tank explodes

The race continues to prevent a chemical catastrophe in Garden Grove. An overheating tank at GKN Aerospace is at imminent danger of leaking the toxic chemical MMA or exploding.

The race continues to prevent a chemical catastrophe in Garden Grove. An overheating tank at GKN Aerospace is at imminent danger of leaking the toxic chemical MMA or exploding.

Firefighters are using drones every 10 minutes to monitor the temperature of the tank. They say their priority is keeping the tank cool, buying experts more time to come up with a solution.

With over 50,000 people evacuated from their homes, the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) is calling in the best of the best for help.

"Resources with all different agencies. We've got subject matter experts, chemists, scientists. We're all working around the clock, trying to find the best solution," said Wayhowe Huang with OCFA.

OCFA Chief Craig Covey says the goal is to protect residents' homes and also the environment.

"The next phase has been preventing further movement of anything. If it comes out of the tank into the waterways and possibly out to the ocean, we want to protect the environment," Covey said.

In a post on social media, OCFA Division Chief Nick Freeman and Dr. CK, the Orange County Health Officer, showed a potential blast map, which could affect nearby neighborhoods if the tank explodes.

Officials said points on the map could change by the morning.

Covey explained why the temperature is rising inside the tank.

"So we think it's doing its normal curing process. Anything that does this, like cement does, even cement is warm in the middle as it's curing. That's part of the chemical process. It creates heat as it is forming itself," Covey said.

So far, no injuries have been reported. It's unclear what initially caused the chemicals to overheat.