GARDEN GROVE, CA – An industrial chemical leak at a local aerospace facility triggered a large-scale hazardous materials response, road closures, and neighborhood evacuations on Thursday afternoon.
The Incident at Western Avenue
The Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) rushed to the scene at 12122 Western Avenue around 3:40 p.m. Officials discovered that dangerous vapors were escaping from a massive 34,000-gallon holding tank.
The tank contained methyl methacrylate, a highly flammable liquid widely used in the aerospace industry to manufacture plastic parts.
Evacuations and Closures
Due to the flammable nature of the chemical vapors, authorities immediately ordered evacuations for both residential and industrial areas. The evacuation zone spanned:
- North of Garden Grove Boulevard
- East of Western Avenue
- South of Orangewood Avenue
- West of Beach Boulevard
A temporary reunification center was established at Rancho Alamitos High School on Dale Street to assist displaced families. Major street closures were also put in place along Western Avenue and Lampson Avenue.
Cooling Operations and Cleanup
Fire crews worked alongside the facility’s emergency team, using water streams and internal sprinkler systems to cool the chemical tank. The primary goal was to lower the temperature to prevent a volatile chemical reaction.
By 9:30 p.m., OCFA confirmed the chemical had cooled significantly, allowing a specialized industrial clean-up crew to safely offload the material. Residential evacuation orders were lifted around 8:40 p.m.
The exact cause of the leak remains under investigation, and fire officials stayed on-site overnight to monitor the area.
