OC toxic tank on path to spill or explode; crews find crack in tank that could be relieving pressure

A crack discovered in a chemical tank is now offering a glimmer of hope, but what exactly does it mean?

OCFA Interim Chief T.J. McGovern explained to ABC News Reporter Jaclyn Lee that teams executed an operation late Saturday night to get eyes on the tank. To their surprise, they discovered the crack.

Lee: "Why would this be a good thing?"
McGovern: "So the thing about the crack is what we're looking for, it's going to relieve pressure. We want the pressure relieved out of that tank."

When asked if a crack could hypothetically lead to a larger leak, McGovern said they are using drones and monitoring the air. He said they have complete confidence that there are no leaks.

Lee: "So the crack could mean no explosion?"
McGovern: "Not necessarily. The crack with the relief of pressure could be there is no BLEVE. There could still be an explosion. The explosion could be caused by the material in there. It'd be an explosion. Explosion is much lesser than an actual BLEVE."

BLEVE stands for Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion and in simple terms, there could still be an explosion, just a smaller one than initially feared.

McGovern said teams will conduct another mission Sunday night to confirm information about the crack and if the data is positive, they will likely decrease the size of the evacuation zone.

Gov. Newsom submitted a request Saturday night for an emergency declaration to President Donald Trump to support ongoing response operations in Orange County.

"California doesn't wait for disaster to unfold, we act early to protect lives and communities," Newsom said. "Working together with our local and federal partners, we're strengthening our ability to respond quickly and effectively in Garden Grove and across the surrounding communities and ensuring that first responders have the resources they need to keep people safe."

An emergency declaration is a formal action that allows the federal government, through FEMA, to help state and local governments with emergency protective measures.

The Los Angeles Angels said Sunday night's game against the Texas Rangers will proceed as scheduled amid the ongoing chemical tank investigation.

"We are closely monitoring the ongoing situation and remain in contact with local officials," read a statement from the Angels organization. "At this time, there are no changes to tonight's scheduled game against the Rangers."

A new evacuation center has been established as several others begin to reach capacity.

According to the American Red Cross, the new center is in Fountain Valley at Los Amigos High School, located at 16566 Newhope St. Officials said pets are welcome and the center is available for overnight stays.

The centers at Golden West College in Huntington Beach, Savanna High School in Anaheim, Freedom Hall in Fountain Valley, John F. Kennedy High School in La Palma, and Oceanview High School in Huntington Beach are listed as "nearing/at capacity."

The Red Cross said those impacted are still welcome to stop by those locations to use other shelter services or grab a meal or a snack.