Several blocks of Garden Grove were evacuated Thursday afternoon as toxic chemicals spread into the air from a leaking storage tank at an aerospace company, officials said.
The Orange County Fire Authority responded to a report of a hazardous materials incident at a business in the 12000 block of Western Avenue at 3:30 p.m., according to agency spokesman Larry Kurtz. Upon arriving at the scene, they determined that methyl methacrylate, a volatile liquid used to make plastics, was leaking from a 34,000-gallon vat.
“The company actually makes acrylic plastics for the aerospace industry and that’s the reason for the chemistry,” Kurtz said. “The problem with this chemical is that it is a potentially flammable liquid and has exothermic properties.” This means that the chemical can release heat when the reaction begins.
The incident appears to have occurred at GKN Aerospace, which makes engine structures, landing gear and other products for commercial and military aircraft.
To minimize any potential health risks, areas north of Garden Grove Boulevard, east of Monarch Street, south of Orangewood Avenue, and west of Beach Boulevard were evacuated. A reunification point was established at Rancho Alamitos High School at 11351 Dale St.
Kurtz said the evacuation was a precautionary measure, “so if anything bad happens, we’re dealing with property damage, not life safety.”
The fire department was spraying water on the tank to cool the chemical, Kurtz said. The leak also triggered the business’s automatic sprinkler system. He said it would take a few hours to contain the chemical leak, after which investigators would focus on determining the cause of the incident.
OnScene.TV contributed to this report.
