The U.S. has ordered the evacuation of about 40,000 people and the closure of several schools in the southern area after a hazardous chemical leaked from a storage tank inside an aircraft parts manufacturing plant, risking an explosion.
The incident occurred at the GKN Aerospace factory in Garden Grove, Orange County, California. A storage tank containing "methyl methacrylate," a chemical used to produce plastic parts for the aviation industry, overheated abnormally on Thursday before releasing a large amount of vapor into the air.
The Orange County Fire Authority stated that the tank holds approximately 6,000 to 7,000 gallons, or about 22,700 to 26,500 liters, of the chemical and that the leak could not be stopped throughout the previous night.
Authorities therefore declared an evacuation of residents in Garden Grove and expanded the evacuation area to parts of five other cities: Cypress, Stanton, Anaheim, Buena Park, and Westminster.
Craig Covey, Fire Chief of Garden Grove, warned during a press conference that this situation is not a precautionary measure but a real emergency, adding that the storage tank could crack, causing the chemical to leak onto the ground or possibly explode.
Meanwhile, Stephanie Klopfenstein, Mayor of Garden Grove, acknowledged that the situation has caused fear among residents but emphasized that the evacuation order was issued for maximum safety.
At the same time, officials are hastily building barriers with sandbags to prevent the chemical from flowing into storm drains, canals, or nearby oceans.
Officials noted that methyl methacrylate is a volatile, highly toxic, and easily flammable substance. Previously, rescue teams managed to control one of the two damaged tanks, but the remaining tank remains in a critical condition.
So far, there have been no reports of injuries or deaths from the incident, but authorities continue to monitor the situation around the clock amid concerns that this chemical leak in California could escalate into a major environmental and safety disaster if the tank actually explodes.
.source: AP
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