Chemical Tank Incidents in California and Washington Injure Multiple, Force Evacuations
A damaged chemical tank in California prompted evacuations of 50,000 residents, while a tank implosion at a Washington paper mill injured multiple workers.
Emergency officials lifted evacuation orders for approximately 34,000 Southern California residents on Monday after temperatures dropped in a damaged tank containing hazardous chemicals at a Garden Grove aerospace plant, eliminating the risk of catastrophic explosion.
The tank at GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems contained 6,000 to 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate, a highly flammable chemical used in plastics manufacturing. Officials began evacuating residents Thursday after the tank overheated, eventually ordering about 50,000 people to leave their homes by the weekend. The tank's interior temperature cooled to 93 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday, down from 100 degrees the previous day, according to Orange County Fire Authority division chief Craig Covey.
While the risk of major explosion has passed, officials said smaller blast, fire, and spill risks remain. Orange County Health Director Regina Chinsio-Kwong assured returning residents that no contamination, fumes, or vapors were released during the incident. Air quality monitoring will continue for several months.
In a separate incident Tuesday morning in Longview, Washington, multiple people suffered chemical burns and inhalation injuries when a tank containing hazardous liquid imploded at a Nippon Dynawave Packaging pulp and paper mill. Longview fire department battalion chief Mike Gorsuch described it as a "mass casualty scene," though authorities said there was no immediate threat to the public.
About 40 firefighters and paramedics responded to the Washington incident, which was reported at 7:19 a.m. The affected workers were decontaminated and transported to hospitals in Longview and Vancouver, Washington. The facility, which employs approximately 1,000 people, produces materials for tissues, printing paper, cups, and other packaging products.
GKN Aerospace, the British company operating the California plant, apologized for the disruption and said technical specialists worked with fire authorities to remove insulation from the tank to help cool its contents. The company had previously paid over $900,000 in 2025 to settle regulatory violations involving recordkeeping and emissions issues.