rki.news
California declared a state of emergency in Orange County after a hazardous chemical incident at an aerospace facility in Garden Grove, where authorities warned of a potential toxic gas release.
Governor Gavin Newsom said state agencies had been mobilized for more than 24 hours to support local authorities and safeguard public safety as emergency operations continued. The declaration followed concerns at the GKN Aerospace facility involving a storage tank containing an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate, a highly flammable and hazardous industrial chemical.
Officials said the tank had begun overheating, raising fears of a possible release of toxic gases. Newsom warned there remained a risk of a “catastrophic failure” despite ongoing containment efforts.
He said local authorities lacked the capacity to manage an incident of this scale, which prompted the escalation to a statewide emergency response. The governor added that the California National Guard could be deployed if required to assist in relief and safety operations.
According to US media reports, several schools in the affected areas were closed and major roads were partially shut down as precautionary measures. Authorities also issued evacuation orders for more than 44,000 residents on Friday after the chemical risk was identified.
Emergency teams are monitoring the situation closely as efforts intensify to prevent any hazardous release and ensure public safety in surrounding communities.