The 7,000-gallon tank containing methyl methacrylate, a toxic chemical used to manufacture resins and plastics, could also then set off an explosion in a 15,000-gallon tank nearby that holds the same substance, Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) incident commander Chief Craig Covey told NBC News on Saturday.
We’re talking about possibly one of the worst chemical incidents in California history,” he said.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday declared a state of emergency in Orange County and directed his Office of Emergency Services and other state agencies to support affected residents.
The problems that have prompted officials to evacuate tens of thousands of people from Garden Grove, California, and from parts of neighboring cities include loss of valve control and rising heat inside the tank that has already reached the volatile range of 90 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, Covey said.
Those temperatures are a prelude to a “thermal runaway” that could trigger an explosion, he said.
