An industrial hazmat emergency is unfolding just a few miles from Disneyland Resort, prompting evacuation orders for tens of thousands of Orange County residents.
Chemical Tank Emergency Compels Evacuation Order Near Disneyland
A hazmat situation at a Garden Grove aerospace facility prompted evacuations of nearby homes and businesses, impacting multiple Orange County communities.
The incident began Thursday, May 21, at GKN Aerospace on Western Avenue, where authorities responded to a chemical issue involving a large storage tank containing methyl methacrylate, a flammable chemical used in plastics, resins, and aerospace manufacturing.
The affected tank is a 34,000-gallon vessel, though officials said roughly 6,000 to 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate remained inside. Fire officials said the tank overheated, released vapor, and triggered cooling systems at the facility. Compromised valves and other malfunctioned systems raised concerns about pressure and temperature.
Despite the best efforts of responders, the call has been made that the tank cannot be secured, and preparations are underway to mitigate the dangers of catastrophic failure.
Orange County Fire Authority Division Chief Craig Covey spoke frankly in a news conference on Friday, May 22, regarding the path ahead:
“This thing is going to fail. We don’t know when. What we were told by the manufacturer’s tech rep is that essentially we’re at two current options and outcomes of this tank. One, it fails and cracks and all the product leaks out onto the ground … That’s the best-case scenario believe it or not, because once it comes out, it’s no longer an explosive hazard and our hazmat teams in their chemical protective suits can go in and neutralize and mitigate the vapors … The other option that was told to us is that it blows up. That is what we were handed: a leaking tank, or a tank that blows up.”
Evacuation orders were first issued on Thursday for areas closest to the aerospace plant, including nearby homes and businesses. Some of those orders were lifted after conditions appeared to improve, but the situation worsened on Friday, May 22, leading officials to reissue and expand evacuation orders.
The larger evacuation zone eventually affected about 40,000 people across Garden Grove, Anaheim, Buena Park, Cypress, Stanton, and Westminster. You can view and explore the affected area on Google Maps above, with the evacuation boundaries noted courtesy of Orange County Register’s Kevin Sablan.
As shown on the map, Disneyland Resort itself is not under evacuation orders, though the resort is in relatively close proximity to the affected area. The closest point between the two is just 4 miles apart. Disney has not officially commented on the emergency or the evacuation order at this time. It is unclear if any further developments would affect operations at the Disneyland Resort, but we are monitoring the situation.
Residents in the affected area are encouraged to seek shelter at one of three evacuation centers located at Savannah High School in Anaheim, the Garden Grove Sports & Recreation Center, and the Cypress Community Center.
Health officials warned that methyl methacrylate vapors can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, and respiratory system, and exposure may cause more serious symptoms depending on concentration and duration.
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