- Around 40,000 people have been ordered to evacuate amid the threat of a chemical tank explosion in southern California.
- Fire officials have been unable to control the valves on a leaking storage tank at a manufacturing facility in Orange County, which holds between 6,000 and 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate - a hazardous and highly flammable chemical.
- Mr Covey added: "We are setting up these evacuations in preparation for these two options: it fails or it blows up."
- Authorities have been able to maintain the tank's temperature, buying time to figure out how to fix it.
- According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, methyl methacrylate can cause lung and skin irritation, headaches, coughing and wheezing.
- OCFA Division Chief Nick Freeman added that the chemical is "extremely flammable and in its current state very reactive, and can cause that explosion."
- Dr Regina Chinsio-Kwong, the county health officer, said if the chemical heats up, it can release a vapour that is harmful to people's health.
Authorities have ordered a mass evacuation of approximately 40,000 residents in Southern California due to a serious threat stemming from a leaking methyl methacrylate tank at a manufacturing facility in Orange County.23
The tank, which contains between 6,000 and 7,000 gallons of the hazardous substance, is seen as a severe risk. Methyl methacrylate is known to be highly flammable and capable of causing significant health issues. Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong, the county health officer, expressed concerns about the chemical’s properties, stating that if the chemical heats up, it can release a vapor that is harmful to people's health.
Fire officials have struggled to regulate the tank's valves and are currently trying to maintain the tank's temperature to buy time to resolve the situation. OCFA Division Chief Nick Freeman indicated that the chemical is “extremely flammable and in its current state very reactive”, raising the risk of an explosion. Significantly, Mr. Covey emphasized the seriousness of the situation: “We are setting up these evacuations in preparation for these two options: it fails or it blows up.”7
With evacuation efforts underway, local authorities continue to assess the situation to ensure the safety of residents as they work to manage the ongoing threat.
“Around 40,000 people have been ordered to evacuate in Southern California due to a chemical tank threat. Fire officials struggle with a leaking tank containing a hazardous chemical, methyl methacrylate.”
