20,000 evacuated in Orange County toxic chemical leak as officials warn tank "is going to fail, we don't know when"
CBS News • • nation
Key Points:
- Orange County officials expanded evacuation orders in Garden Grove, Stanton, Cypress, and Buena Park after a tank containing a flammable, toxic, and self-heating chemical, methyl methacrylate, began leaking at an aerospace facility.
- The Orange County Fire Authority warned that the tank could either spill 6,000-7,000 gallons of hazardous chemicals or undergo a thermal runaway explosion, potentially affecting nearby tanks with fuel or chemicals.
- Evacuation centers have been set up at the Garden Grove Sports & Recreation Center and the Cypress Community Center for displaced residents.
- Firefighters initially managed to control the situation, but the tank was deemed unable to be secured by Friday morning, prompting expanded evacuations despite no active gas leak or plume detected.
- The cause of the leak is still under investigation, and no injuries have been reported; a public information hotline has been activated for community updates.