All Evacuation Orders Lifted in Garden Grove Chemical Crisis

All evacuation orders related to the Garden Grove chemical crisis have been lifted, allowing the remaining 16,000 residents to return home after days of uncertainty. Since late last week, officials had been concerned that a compromised 34,000-gallon tank at GKN Aerospace, containing an industrial chemical used in plastics and manufacturing, could become over-pressurized.

Officials previously warned of two possible outcomes: an explosion or a spill of approximately 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate. The worst-case scenario involved a devastating blast that would release hazardous material in a phenomenon known as a "boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion" (BLEVE).

This threat led to the evacuation of more than 40,000 residents. However, by Monday, May 25, a crack discovered in the compromised tank was relieving pressure, eliminating the explosion risk.

That day, about 65% of evacuees were allowed to return. The following day, officials gave the green light for the remaining residents to return home, Orange County Fire Authority Interim Chief TJ McGovern announced at a news conference on Tuesday, May 26.

"There's still a little bit of work to do," McGovern said. "We will still be out there, but it is safe to return." Western Street from Garden Grove Boulevard to Chapman Avenue remains closed as fire officials continue working the incident, Garden Grove Police Chief Amir El-Farra said.

On Tuesday, fire officials focused on "checking those last two boxes" to ensure safety, said Orange County Fire Authority Commander Craig Covey. These included mitigating the remaining 12,000 gallons of chemical in an adjacent tank and ensuring the main tank's temperature remained stable after water dousing stopped.

"Crews were in and out, doing exactly that, checking the temperatures, mitigating the tank next to it, and finishing off those two last check boxes to make everybody comfortable and certain that everybody can return home safely," Covey said. The Environmental Protection Agency monitored the air throughout the incident and found no exceedances, according to on-scene coordinator Chris Myers.

Regina Chinsio-Kwong, a county health officer with the Orange County Health Care Agency, confirmed that after checking the final boxes, health officials felt safe about sending residents home. "We did a lot to make sure that we feel comfortable and that there is not a risk for any explosion or any further fumes at this time," she said, adding that the agency will continue to work with the EPA and other agencies to monitor the air.

A community meeting in Garden Grove on Tuesday evening turned contentious, with hundreds of residents gathering at city hall demanding answers, according to The Orange County Register. "I was mentally prepared for natural disasters, but never for a military-industrial chemical leak.

I never thought that something so dangerous is less than 2 miles away from me," evacuee Carrie Lynn told council members. Some residents called on city officials to shut down the GKN Aerospace facility, CBS News reported.

At least seven lawsuits, representing 70 plaintiffs, were filed against GKN Aerospace in state court by Tuesday afternoon, according to The Orange County Register.