Why a chemical explosion in Orange County could be so catastrophic
Key takeaways
- An estimated 40,000 residents have been asked to evacuate, affecting portions of the cities of Garden Grove, Anaheim, Buena Park, Cypress, Stanton and Westminster.
- “This is highly volatile, it’s highly toxic, it’s highly flammable,” said Craig Covey, a division chief with the Orange County Fire Authority and the incident commander.
- So what’s the science of the leak and why do officials say it is so dangerous?
Evacuation orders were reissued Friday for thousands of residents and schools were closed in Garden Grove due to continued concerns about a toxic chemical leaking from a large storage tank at an aerospace facility. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) By Rong-Gong Lin II, Salvador Hernandez and Tony Briscoe May 22, 2026 4:55 PM PT 1 7 min Click here to listen to this article Share via Close extra sharing options Email Facebook X Linked In Threads Reddit Whats App Copy Link URL Copied! Print 0:00 0:00 1x This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.
An “unprecedented” situation was taking hold in Orange County on Friday, as a chemical tank was at risk of exploding and releasing a highly toxic chemical that can cause severe respiratory distress and lead to hospitalization, officials said.
An estimated 40,000 residents have been asked to evacuate, affecting portions of the cities of Garden Grove, Anaheim, Buena Park, Cypress, Stanton and Westminster. Disneyland is outside of the evacuation zone.