Garden Grove Reissues Evacuation Orders After 34,000-Gallon MMA Tank Spews Toxic Chemical
Updated
Updated · KABC-TV · May 22
Garden Grove Reissues Evacuation Orders After 34,000-Gallon MMA Tank Spews Toxic Chemical
6 articles · Updated · KABC-TV · May 22
Evacuation orders were reinstated Thursday afternoon around GKN Aerospace in Garden Grove after a 34,000-gallon tank released methyl methacrylate into the air.
An inoperable valve created new operational problems and prevented crews from fully containing the leak, the Orange County Fire Authority said.
Authorities ordered residents out of the area bounded by Garden Grove Boulevard, Springdale Avenue, Dale Street and Orangewood Avenue, and opened an evacuation center at Stanton City Hall.
Methyl methacrylate is used to make acrylic plastics; the cause of the spill remains unclear and no injuries were immediately reported.
Beyond the cleanup, what are the hidden health and environmental costs of such chemical spills?
What systemic flaws allow one small valve failure to trigger a massive, city-wide evacuation?
Are zoning laws failing to protect communities from the risks posed by their industrial neighbors?