Southern California Chemical Tank

The streets remain empty in Garden Grove, Calif., on Sunday, May 24, 2026, after a storage tank containing a chemical used to make plastic parts overheated Thursday at an aerospace plastics facility.

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Southern California officials trying to prevent explosion or leak from damaged chemical tank

Southern California officials trying to prevent explosion or leak from damaged chemical tank

Authorities are trying to tamp down the risk of a possible explosion or leak of a damaged chemical tank at a facility in Southern California. A crack found in the tank over the weekend could lower the risk of an explosion and does not appear to be leaking. An evacuation order remained in effect for some 50,000 residents of Garden Grove and surrounding communities with no timeline for their return. No injuries have been reported. Firefighters hope to cool off the chemical inside the tank to prevent an explosion or leak. Experts say a leak would be far better than an explosion. A state senator says the tank’s interior temperature reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit on Sunday.