US chemicals tank no longer at risk of exploding

Firefighters struggling with the overheating of a tank full of dangerous chemicals in Southern California said an overnight operation eliminated the possibility of the tank exploding.

A tank of highly flammable methyl methacrylate began overheating Thursday at the GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove, a city of about 172,000 about 22 miles south of Los Angeles.

On Saturday, California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency and evacuation orders were issued for an area home to tens of thousands of people due to fears that the tank could rupture and spill up to 26,500 liters of toxic material or explode, endangering nearby tanks.

Firefighters celebrated over the weekend when a crack appeared in the tank, which helped relieve pressure and cooled slightly.

“This is incredibly positive news,” Orange County Fire Authority division chief Craig Covey said in a video statement.