California chemical tank heating up after evacuation in LA suburb, fire official says
(The word “says” has been omitted from the title)
May 23 (Reuters) – Firefighters trying to prevent an explosion in a tank filled with hazardous chemicals in Southern California discovered overnight that the faulty tank had begun to heat up internally despite cooling efforts, the incident commander said on Saturday.
Evacuation orders remained in effect for an area covering tens of thousands of people in the Los Angeles suburb of Garden Grove.
California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for Orange County and his office asked residents to comply with evacuation orders.
Orange County Fire Authority division chief Craig Covey said Friday that crews returned to the danger zone in Garden Grove overnight after drone readings suggested water sprayed into tanks helped stabilize the situation.
But in a video update posted on social media Saturday morning, Covey said the drone readings measured the outside of the ship, not the chemical inside it. When the crew reached the tank’s gauge, they found that the internal temperature was 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius), down from 77 degrees Fahrenheit (25 C) when responders retreated.
He said the temperature was rising about one degree per hour. “This is bad news,” Covey said.
Authorities have warned since Friday that the tank containing methyl methacrylate, a flammable chemical used in plastics and manufacturing, could explode, releasing up to 7,000 gallons (26,500 liters) of toxic material, or explode and endanger nearby tanks.
On Saturday, Covey said firefighters were investigating whether an intense flow of coolant could slow the curing process inside the tank enough to reduce pressure and prevent an explosion.
“It’s unacceptable for us to let this thing fail and implode,” Covey said. “Our goal is to find something and not let it happen.”
The incident began Thursday at the GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove, a city of about 172,000 people about 50 miles (50 kilometers) south of Los Angeles. According to its website, the site specializes in the manufacturing and testing of windows and canopies for commercial and military aircraft.
GKN said it was working with “all relevant experts” to resolve the issue.
“We sincerely apologize for the serious disruption caused to the many local residents and businesses who were forced to evacuate,” a GKN spokesman said in a statement on Saturday. he said.
Authorities expanded evacuation orders on Friday as the risk of an explosion increased. Garden Grove Police Chief Amir El-Farra said about 15% of people in the area covered by the evacuation order refused to leave, according to the Orange County Register.
Covey said crews moved from a “defensive” posture to an “offensive” operation overnight with the help of chemists on the manufacturer’s emergency response team. The goal was to neutralize a nearby 15,000-gallon tank and reduce the potential for an explosion should the smaller tank fail.
“We put people in danger last night,” Covey said.
Authorities opened evacuation shelters in Garden Grove and the nearby cities of Anaheim and Cypress.
Health officials said they were concerned that vapors from the chemical could cause serious respiratory problems with long-term exposure. As of the last health update provided by officials, air quality monitors had not detected vapor.
Dr. from the Orange County Department of Health Services. “As long as you are outside the area designated as the evacuation zone, you are safe,” Regina Chinsio-Kwong said Friday.
Covey said crews also prepared for a possible spill by looking for ways to direct the liquid to a retention area at the levee, dam and commercial site, rather than allowing it to reach storm drains, river channels or the ocean.
“We’re not giving up,” Covey said.
(Reporting by Rodrigo Campos in New York, additional reporting by Dan Catchpole; Editing by Sergio Non and David Gregorio)
