California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency in Orange County following a serious industrial incident involving a large chemical storage tank at a GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove.

The tank, which contains approximately 34,000 gallons of highly volatile methyl methacrylate (MMA), has reportedly become unstable and is at risk of leaking or exploding.

Emergency crews first responded after vapours were detected escaping from the tank, prompting concerns that rising internal temperatures could lead to a catastrophic failure.

Authorities ordered the evacuation of more than 40,000 residents as a precaution while firefighters and hazardous materials teams attempted to stabilise the situation.

Initial efforts included cooling measures and pressure control systems, which temporarily appeared to improve conditions, leading to a brief lifting of evacuation orders.

However, the situation deteriorated again when officials discovered a malfunctioning valve and rising temperatures within the tank, making it impossible to safely neutralise the chemicals inside.

Emergency responders have warned that a rupture could trigger a toxic release affecting nearby buildings and potentially contaminating surrounding areas.Additional concerns include adjacent storage tanks holding similar chemicals, increasing the complexity and risk of the incident.

Local and state agencies are coordinating a continuous response effort, including 24-hour monitoring, water cooling strategies, and containment measures to prevent runoff into storm drains and waterways.Health officials have cautioned that exposure to released vapours could cause severe respiratory issues.

While authorities stress that those outside the evacuation zone remain safe, they continue to urge residents to comply with evacuation orders until the situation is fully resolved.The incident remains ongoing, with officials acknowledging that the tank may still fail despite mitigation efforts.