Catastrophic Explosion Risk ‘Eliminated’ at California Chemical Tank, Officials Say

Firefighters celebrated the appearance of a crack in the tank ​over the weekend, which helped ​relieve ⁠pressure.

Water is sprayed on a damaged tank at GKN Aerospace after the tank containing a chemical used to make plastic parts overheated, in Garden Grove, Calif., on May 24, 2026. AP Photo/Ethan Swope

Authorities in Southern California’s Orange County said on May 25 that the threat that a chemical tank will suffer a catastrophic explosion has been “eliminated,” but they said that evacuation orders are still in effect.

The Orange County Fire Department said the risk of a “massive explosion” caused by expanding vapor from a compromised chemical tank in Garden Grove, near Los Angeles, has passed, but it also said, “There is still an ongoing threat to public safety.”