California toxic tank evacuations reduced

Officials safely reduced the evacuation orders from 60,000 residents down to 16,000 on Monday in the Los Angeles area following a toxic chemical container explosion risk at a GKN Aerospace facility.

The Garden Grove location had a frozen valve in a refrigeration system, which caused a 7,000-gallon tank of toxic methyl methacrylate to overheat. The tank, which is supposed to be chilled to 50 degrees Fahrenheit, saw its temperature gauge max out at 100 degrees.

The incident raised fears of a catastrophic boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion (BLEVE). Emergency crews poured millions of gallons of water onto the tank, while a strategically placed crack helped relieve pressure without triggering a leak.

Officials said no injuries or environmental contamination have been reported, but fire and spill risks remain.