They order the evacuation of 40,000 people in California due to a chemical leak with risk of explosion

The authorities of the state of California, in the United States, have ordered the evacuation of some 40,000 people this Friday after a toxic gas leak from a giant chemical tank that could explode in a densely populated area. The tank contains 26,000 liters of methyl methacrylate, a flammable and volatile liquid used to make plastic.

The emergency occurs in Garden Grove, in Orange County, southeast of Los Angeles. Garden Grove Police Chief Amir El-Farra said tens of thousands of people are refusing to heed the order to leave their homes.

“There are literally only two options,” said fire commander Craig Covey. “The tank ruptures and spills a total of 6,000 and 7,000 gallons of very bad chemicals in a parking lot in that area, or two, the tank goes into a thermal chain reaction and explodes, which also affects nearby tanks that contain fuel or chemicals,” he explained. “We are organizing these evacuations to prepare for these two options: if it fails or if it explodes”he added.

The county’s health officer, Regina Chinshio Kwong, insisted on the need for a large exclusion zone around the tank. “If it explodes and there is steam, they will be safe as long as they are outside the area that has been determined as an evacuation zone,” he said. No injuries have been reported so far and there is no immediate indication of what caused the leak, which was initially reported Thursday.

Aerial images broadcast by local channels showed that Emergency services sprayed the tank with water hoses to cool it and prevent an explosion.. Covey said crews were preparing for a chemical spill, which he described as “the best case scenario,” and preferable to a detonation and toxic cloud. Authorities are working to place containment barriers to prevent any spilled material from reaching storm drains or river channels that flow into the ocean.