The tank, at GKN Aerospace in Garden Grove, contains the chemical methyl methacrylate, used to make plastic.
Here’s what you need to know about the tank.
Risk of respiratory issues, coughing and wheezing
Authorities first responded to GKN Aerospace, about 40 miles south of downtown Los Angeles, on Thursday
The problem started when the tank temperature began to rise, causing it to bulge and activate a nearby relief valve and sprinkler. It is not clear yet what caused the temperature to increase.
The methyl methacrylate inside the tank could irritate people’s eyes and skin, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and can lead to respiratory issues like chest tightness, coughing and wheezing.
“There are literally two options left remaining: One, the tank fails and spills a total of about [6,000] to 7,000 gallons of very bad chemicals into the parking lot and that area,” Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) Incident Commander and Division Chief Craig Covey said in a press conference on Friday. “Or two, the tank goes into a thermal runaway and blows up, affecting the tanks that are around it that have fuel or chemicals in them as well.”
