California seeks new solution to chemical tank explosion risk
Firefighters trying to prevent a tank of dangerous chemicals in California from exploding or leaking brought in outside experts to help prevent a catastrophe in California, the operation commander said on Saturday (24).
Evacuation orders remained in effect in an area covering approximately 50,000 people in the Los Angeles suburb of Garden Grove.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency for Orange County, and his office has urged residents to follow evacuation orders.
"We brought in subject matter experts from across the state to think completely outside the box, and we had some really good productive conversations today," said Craig Covey, division chief of the Orange County Fire Authority, in a video posted to social media. He did not go into detail about possible solutions.
Shelters for those evacuated are at full capacity in Anaheim, Fountain Valley, La Palma and Huntington Beach.
Crews returned to the danger zone after drone readings on Friday suggested that water sprayed into the tanks was helping to stabilize the situation, Covey said previously.
But when crews reached the tank's gauge, they discovered the internal temperature was 32 degrees Celsius, up from 25 degrees Celsius when rescuers had retreated.
The temperature was rising at about one degree per hour, he said. "That's the bad news."
Authorities have warned since Friday (22) that the tank, which contains methyl methacrylate, a flammable chemical used in plastics and manufacturing, could rupture and spill up to 26,500 liters of toxic material or explode and endanger nearby tanks.
On Saturday, Covey said firefighters were exploring whether a heavy flow of cooling water could slow the curing process inside the tank enough to reduce pressure and prevent an explosion.
"Letting this thing just fail and explode is unacceptable to us," Covey said.
The concern began on Thursday at the GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove, a city of about 172,000 people, approximately 50 km south of Los Angeles. The location specializes in manufacturing and testing windows and coverings for commercial and military aircraft, according to its website.
GKN said it was working with "all relevant experts" to resolve the issue. "We sincerely apologize for the significant inconvenience to the many local residents and businesses who had to be evacuated," a GKN spokesperson said in a statement.
(With information from Nina Giraldo, Taylor Romine and Emma Tucler, CNN and Dan Catchpole, Reuters)
Source: CNN