A potential industrial disaster in southern California is easing, allowing thousands of displaced residents to head home after officials scaled back an evacuation order tied to a volatile chemical tank.
Authorities said the risk of a toxic chemical tank explosion in the Garden Grove area had diminished enough for some of the roughly 50,000 evacuees to return.
Garden Grove Police Chief Amir El-Farra said the decision to shrink the evacuation zone followed updated data and consultations with subject matter experts.
“For those that remain impacted, I know this may be frustrating. That number is approximately 16,000 of you. Please understand that we are doing this for your safety, and we will continue to work diligently,” Mr El-Farra said.
The evacuations were ordered Friday after concerns grew that the flammable chemical inside the tank could explode or release toxic fumes in the densely populated section of Orange County southeast of Los Angeles, about 8km from Disneyland.
Officials said the tank holds 26,000 litres of methyl methacrylate, a volatile liquid commonly used in the production of plastics.
The situation began late last week when authorities first detected a leak in the tank and later identified a crack, though they did not indicate whether the two issues were connected.
“There is currently no active leak, and continuous live atmospheric monitoring confirms there are no chemicals leaking,” county fire officials said.
Orange County Fire Authority Incident Commander Craig Covey said both pressure and heat inside the tank were trending downward, with the temperature dropping to 34C from 38C.
“The crack is there. We have verified that it’s there, and the tank has released its pressure,” Covey said.
“That is incredibly positive news as we turn the corner on this incident,” Mr Covey said.
Craig Covey said that the temperature and pressure in the tank were declining
Federal regulators also moved in, dispatching a team of experts to advise local officials on possible outcomes. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chief Lee Zeldin told CNN on Sunday that the “most catastrophic scenario” would involve one tank exploding and triggering other nearby tanks to explode as well.
Still, Mr Zeldin said “the most likely scenario” was “a low-volume release” that would allow authorities to monitor conditions and work to neutralise and contain the hazard.
The tank is owned by GKN Aerospace, which, according to its website, operates 32 manufacturing locations across 12 countries.
The company, headquartered in Birmingham, UK, develops airplane technology and said in a statement Sunday that it is “working around the clock to mitigate the risk of a leak”.
At nearby Disneyland, officials said the “resort remains open to guests,” adding they were monitoring the situation closely.
The EPA says methyl methacrylate can irritate the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes in humans, and that acute or prolonged exposure can also lead to respiratory and neurological reactions.
