California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Saturday in response to a developing chemical hazard in Orange County, where officials are warning of a possible explosion or major leak at an industrial facility.

The emergency centers on a storage tank at a GKN Aerospace-owned site in Garden Grove containing between 6,000 and 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate, a highly flammable chemical used in the production of resins and plastics.

According to local authorities, the tank began off-gassing and showed signs of structural instability, raising fears that it could either explode or release its contents into surrounding areas.

As a precaution, approximately 40,000 residents have been ordered to evacuate, and state agencies have been mobilized to support Orange County responders.The governor’s office of emergency services is coordinating efforts and making state-owned facilities available as temporary shelters for evacuees.

Governor Newsom emphasized that protecting residents is the top priority and pledged to deploy all available state resources to assist local authorities.

Firefighters have been actively attempting to stabilize the situation by cooling the tank with water, though these efforts have not yet successfully reduced the risk.Officials reported that the tank’s temperature reached about 90°F and has been increasing steadily, raising concerns that conditions could worsen.

Emergency teams have also explored the use of neutralizing agents in nearby tanks to reduce explosive potential, while preparing contingency measures such as diking and damming in case of a spill.

Authorities continue to investigate alternative strategies to prevent a catastrophic failure, describing the situation as highly unstable and requiring urgent, coordinated intervention from multiple agencies across the country.