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16m ago

Unstable Chemical Tank Forces Tens of Thousands From Homes Near Disneyland

State and federal teams are racing to cool a pressurized methyl methacrylate tank to prevent a rupture or explosion.

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Fountain Valley, CA – May 23, 2026: People’s belongings are spread out on cots in the Freedom Hall, after taking refuge due to the chemical leak at GKN Aerospace Transparency building, on Saturday, May 23, 2026 in Fountain Valley, CA. Tens of thousands told to evacuate after a 34,000-gallon tank of methyl methacrylate leaked at an aerospace plastics facility, sending potentially toxic vapors into the air. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
During rush hour inside the evacuation zone at West Chapman Avenue and Nearing Drive there was very little traffic due to the evacuation orders of the surrounding neighborhoods near the GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove, Calif., May 23, 2026.

Overview

  • Emergency crews first responded to a leak at the GKN Aerospace site on May 21 and expanded mandatory evacuations that now affect roughly 40,000–50,000 residents across Garden Grove and portions of Anaheim, Buena Park, Cypress, Stanton and Westminster.
  • Officials said the tank has entered a thermal runaway state where the liquid MMA self‑heats, valves are broken or gummed up so product cannot be offloaded, and interior temperatures reached about 90°F and have been rising roughly 1°F per hour despite external water cooling.
  • Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on May 23 to mobilize state assets and federal teams including EPA and regional air monitors have deployed sensors and drones to track temperatures and vapors.
  • So far air monitors have not detected contaminants above normal and no injuries have been reported, but crews continue defensive cooling to avoid either a large spill of the tank’s 5,000–7,000 gallons or an explosion that could ignite nearby tanks.
  • Residents have filed a class‑action lawsuit alleging negligence and displacement, shelters and hotel rooms are housing evacuees, and the incident has prompted renewed regulatory scrutiny of GKN Aerospace that could lead to further legal and oversight actions.