Residents living near the GKN Aerospace plant in Garden Grove are expressing anger and anxiety after a chemical tank failure forced the evacuation of over 50,000 people over Memorial Day weekend. The plant, which manufactures cockpit windshields and jet canopies, uses methyl methacrylate, a volatile and highly toxic chemical.
Many residents, like 68-year-old retired letter carrier Thành Tran, say they were unaware of the dangers posed by the facility until police arrived at their doors on May 21, ordering them to leave. Tran, who has lived on Santa Rosalia Street for 16 years, said he and his wife never knew what the plant produced or that it handled hazardous materials.
"Nobody knew," he insisted. The evacuation disrupted lives across six cities, including Stanton, where Tran's neighborhood borders the industrial corridor.
Residents like Alexandra Montenegro, a 31-year-old behavioral analyst, described the experience as "nerve-wracking." She and her 5-year-old daughter, who is battling tongue cancer, were forced to evacuate just before Montenegro's scheduled surgery. She pleaded with officers to let her retrieve medication and clothes.
Others, like 84-year-old Robert Hope, who has lived in the area for over 50 years, reported developing a cough and his wife experiencing headaches and dizziness weeks before the incident, raising concerns about possible long-term leaks. Josefina Peralta, a 54-year-old resident of 20 years, said she had noticed a nail polish-like smell and smoke from the plant for years and had complained to GKN Aerospace repeatedly, but the company eventually stopped answering calls.
The evacuation was chaotic and costly. Hope and his wife spent $1,500 on hotel bills, food, gas, and medications after leaving with little more than what they could grab.
Peralta spent $160 for one night in a hotel and had to buy clothes after leaving without packing. She received a $500 cash assistance offer but said it was insufficient.
Now, residents worry about declining property values and have received lowball offers to buy their homes. Peralta recalled an offer of $785,000 for a property worth over $1 million.
The community is united in demanding the plant's closure. "Just shut it down completely," Hope said.
"People living here want to get it shut down." The ordeal has left lasting trauma. Montenegro's daughter was terrified, repeatedly saying, "I don't want my house to blow up." Hope summed up the sentiment: "I don't think it's going to be forgotten.
We were at ground zero."