California Chemical Tank Explosion Threat Lifted; 50,000 Residents Still Evacuated

California fire officials said today that the threat of an explosion from a toxic chemical storage tank in Orange County has been lifted, but approximately 50,000 evacuated residents must still wait in place and cannot yet return home. According to AFP, TJ McGovern, acting chief of the Orange County Fire Authority, said in a video posted on X, 'We are pleased to announce that this threat... has been lifted.' McGovern said the evacuation order remains in effect and asked the public to continue to comply with evacuation regulations. The Orange County Fire Authority noted in a separate post on X that there is still a risk to public safety. The leak occurred in Garden Grove, Orange County, southeast of Los Angeles. Due to concerns that flammable chemicals in the tank might explode, authorities ordered about 50,000 residents to evacuate their homes on the 22nd. The tank contained 7,000 gallons (about 26,000 liters) of methyl methacrylate (MMA). This is a volatile and flammable liquid mainly used to manufacture plastic. County fire officials said late last night, 'There is no leak at this time, and atmospheric monitoring is ongoing, confirming that no chemicals have leaked.' Craig Covey, incident commander for the Orange County Fire Authority, pointed out today that the tank pressure is dropping and the temperature has fallen from 38 degrees Celsius to 34 degrees Celsius. He said, 'The crack is still there, we have confirmed its existence, and the tank has been depressurized... This is a very positive development for the handling of the site.' The chemical tank belongs to GKN Aerospace. According to the official website, the company has 32 manufacturing sites in 12 countries, with headquarters in Birmingham, UK.