Emergency crews have been working to stabilize a compromised storage tank containing methyl methacrylate at a Garden Grove aerospace facility after an incident that prompted widespread evacuations, school closures and a state of emergency declaration. Below is our running digest, with newer stories at the top.
For the latest official information, be sure to follow the Orange County Fire Authority on X, the County of Orange and the City of Garden Grove.
- Local school districts adjust operations during emergency response
- State superintendent highlights relief fund, emergency waivers for impacted schools
- Officials say compromised tank temperature holding steady
Updated at 8:15 p.m. on May 26, 2026
All evacuation orders lifted as officials declare no further risk to public
The Orange County Fire Authority announced Tuesday evening that all evacuation orders related to the Garden Grove hazardous materials incident have been lifted.
In a series of updates posted on X, OCFA said Unified Command officials — including fire, law enforcement, EPA and county health agencies — confirmed there is no active chemical leak, no threat of explosion, no threat of fire and no risk to the public.
An updated map shows nearly all areas are cleared for repopulation, though a road closure remains in place along Western Avenue between Chapman Avenue and Garden Grove Boulevard near the incident site.
The announcement marks a major milestone in the nearly weeklong emergency response tied to a compromised methyl methacrylate storage tank at the GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove. The incident prompted widespread evacuations and disrupted operations across multiple Orange County school districts.
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Updated at 9:56 a.m. on May 26, 2026
Local school districts adjust operations as emergency response continues
As emergency crews continue their around-the-clock efforts to stabilize a compromised chemical storage tank in Garden Grove, several Orange County school districts are adjusting campus operations, relocating students and expanding remote learning plans for the week ahead.
Here’s the latest on how local schools and districts are responding:
Garden Grove Unified School District
Nine GGUSD campuses reopened on Tuesday, May 26 after officials revised evacuation boundaries.
Pacifica High School, Rancho Alamitos High School, Bell Intermediate School, Barker Elementary School, Bryant Elementary School, Carver Preschool, Enders Elementary School, Garden Park Elementary School and Patton Elementary School were set to resume normal operations. District officials had earlier confirmed that Skylark Preschool remains outside the evacuation zone and also reopened Tuesday.
Alamitos Intermediate School, Lawrence Elementary School and Wakeham Elementary School, along with the district’s Maintenance and Operations and Transportation facilities, remain under evacuation orders and will stay closed while emergency crews continue response efforts.
Westminster School District
Fryberger and Sequoia elementary schools resumed normal operations on Tuesday, May 26, after officials confirmed the campuses are no longer within the evacuation zone. All other district schools are reportedly open and operating normally.
Cypress School District
Frank Vessels Elementary School and Juliet Morris Elementary School remain open. On Friday, families were given the option to pick up students early.
Magnolia School District
Robert M. Pyles STEM Academy reopened Tuesday after officials confirmed the campus was no longer within the evacuation zone.
Savanna School District
The four Savanna campuses concluded their school year on Friday, May 22. Officials confirmed the district is no longer within the revised evacuation zone and resumed normal operations at the district office on Tuesday, with some staff returning to campuses to close out the week. The B.R.I.G.H.T. Learners Preschool program is expected to resume Wednesday, May 27.
OCDE’s ACCESS program
Students and staff at the three previously impacted ACCESS sites are scheduled to return to in-person instruction Wednesday, May 27.
Meanwhile, emergency shelters also remain active at several school campuses across Orange County. They include:
- Kennedy High School in La Palma
- Savanna High School in Anaheim
- Los Amigos High School in Fountain Valley
- Ocean View High School in Huntington Beach
- Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos
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Updated at 2:17 p.m. on May 26, 2026
State superintendent highlights relief fund, emergency waivers for impacted schools
State Superintendent Tony Thurmond is encouraging Californians to support students, families, educators and school staff affected by the ongoing chemical storage tank emergency in Garden Grove.
In a statement released Tuesday, Thurmond said tax-deductible contributions can be made through the SupplyBank.org Disaster Relief Fund. Assistance may include housing support, food, water, clothing and school supplies.
The California Department of Education is also encouraging impacted school districts and charter schools to submit J-13A waivers to help avoid attendance-based funding losses tied to emergency school closures.
The state superintendent said multiple Orange County schools and thousands of students and staff have been impacted by evacuations and school disruptions tied to the hazardous materials incident.
“Our school communities and families in Garden Grove need support as emergency crews address this dangerous chemical tank incident,” he said.
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Updated at 10:31 a.m. on May 26, 2026
Officials say compromised tank temperature holding steady
The temperature inside the compromised methyl methacrylate storage tank in Garden Grove continues to hold steady at 92 degrees as crews move forward with ongoing stabilization efforts.
Officials previously said a crack in the compromised tank appears to be slowly relieving internal pressure, eliminating the risk of an explosion.
In a brief morning update posted on X, OCFA Public Information Officer Greg Barta said emergency crews spent Monday night neutralizing adjacent tanks while continuing to monitor conditions at the primary tank involved in the incident.
“Our efforts today are also focused on the same,” Barta said, “continuing to neutralize the adjacent tanks and monitor that temperature and ensure it holds at 92 degrees.”
The communities of Garden Grove and Stanton still remain impacted by evacuation orders and ongoing response operations, but Barta emphasized that crews are working to safely return residents.
“We want to get you home as soon as possible,” he said. “Our goal is to do that as soon as it is safe to do so.”
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Updated at 7:42 p.m. on May 25, 2026
Evacuation zone is reduced as tank threat eases
Orange County fire and law enforcement officials announced Monday evening that evacuation zones tied to the Garden Grove hazardous materials incident have been significantly reduced after crews confirmed the threat of a catastrophic tank explosion has been eliminated.
The new evacuation zone, effective at 6 p.m., is bounded by Orangewood Avenue to the north, Dale Street to the east, Knott Street to the west and Garden Grove Boulevard to the south, officials said. About 65 percent of the previously evacuated area is being allowed to return home, while roughly 16,000 residents remain under evacuation orders.
Residents can check whether their homes fall within the updated evacuation zone using the County of Orange’s public information map and incident page: Garden Grove Chemical Spill Incident public information map
OCFA Incident Commander Craig Covey said crews have ruled out the possibility of a boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion, or BLEVE, after the compromised tank released pressure without causing a leak or explosion. He said earlier in the day that the tank’s temperature has stabilized and begun trending downward.
“The No. 1 win of this whole thing is we’ve had no injuries to civilians, and we’ve had no injuries to firefighters,” Covey said. “It doesn’t get any better than that as an incident commander.”
Officials emphasized that the crisis is not over. Crews will continue monitoring the tank overnight and assessing the remaining risks of a fire, smaller explosion or spill before determining when additional residents can return home.
Air monitoring will also continue throughout the response and cleanup process. Federal officials said more than 20 real-time air monitoring instruments have been operating around the clock, with no exceedances detected.
Residents were urged to continue following evacuation orders and stay out of restricted areas until officials determine it is safe to return.
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Updated at 10:43 a.m. on May 25, 2026
OCFA says explosion threat eliminated in Garden Grove hazmat incident
Marking a major turning point in the ongoing crisis, Orange County Fire Authority officials announced Monday morning that the threat of a catastrophic tank explosion at the GKN Aerospace facility “is now off the table.”
During a morning briefing posted on X, Interim Fire Chief T.J. McGovern and Incident Commander Craig Covey said crews confirmed a crack had formed in the compromised tank in Garden Grove, allowing pressure to safely release.
“We have eliminated the threat of a BLEVE,” Covey said, referring to a “Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion” — the worst-case scenario emergency crews had been working around the clock to prevent.
Officials said firefighters re-entered the restricted area close to the facility to verify conditions inside. According to Covey, the tank’s temperature has stabilized and is now decreasing, dropping from about 100 degrees to 93 degrees.
“That is incredibly positive news as we turn the corner on this incident and reduce those first two options,” Covey said.
Emergency officials emphasized that evacuation zones remain in place and urged residents to continue following all evacuation orders while crews work through the next phase of mitigation.
Today’s update follows several days of emergency response operations tied to an overheating tank containing methyl methacrylate, a volatile and flammable industrial chemical used in plastics manufacturing. About 50,000 residents remain under evacuation orders.
Resources
- Garden Grove emergency information: Evacuation zones, shelters and updates
- County of Orange chemical spill incident webpage
- Orange County Fire Authority on X (formerly Twitter)
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Updated at 11:12 a.m. on May 24, 2026
OCFA says overnight operation at Garden Grove chemical tank site yields ‘positive intel’
Orange County Fire Authority Interim Chief TJ McGovern said Sunday morning that firefighters gathered “positive intel” overnight during a specialized reconnaissance operation at the compromised chemical tank site in Garden Grove.
According to McGovern, firefighters entered the area late Saturday with a team of subject matter experts and were able to visually inspect the tank. Crews identified what appeared to be a potential crack in the tank that may be relieving some internal pressure.
Officials said they are now working to validate that information and determine whether it could change the overall response strategy moving forward.
“We’re not there yet, but this was a step in the right direction,” McGovern said in the video update.
Evacuation orders — more than 40,000 residents are affected — remain in place in surrounding areas as emergency crews continue around-the-clock operations.
The Orange County Fire Authority is also advising school districts in impacted areas to consider contingency planning options for the coming week should conditions persist or worsen. This may include reviewing instructional continuity plans, temporary relocation options or other operational adjustments as determined locally.
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Updated at 11:47 a.m. on May 23, 2026
Officials say compromised chemical tank continues heating as uncertainty remains for affected schools
Orange County Fire Authority officials said Saturday morning that a compromised chemical tank at the center of the ongoing hazardous materials incident in Garden Grove continues to heat internally, despite earlier signs that containment efforts were stabilizing the situation.
In a video update posted to social media, OCFA Incident Commander Craig Covey said crews initially believed cooling efforts were reducing the tank’s temperature based on external drone readings. However, responders who re-entered the site overnight found the internal temperature of the tank had risen from 77 degrees to 90 degrees.
Covey said crews remain focused on preventing either of the two scenarios officials have warned about since Friday — a rupture and chemical spill or an explosion.
“I know there’s a lot of anxiety over this,” Covey said. “I just need you to understand we are not giving up. We are not accepting the fact that we just let this thing fail. We’re going to try to find a solution. We are working 24 hours a day to do it. ”
Emergency crews continue working with hazardous materials specialists and outside experts while preparing contingency plans in the event the tank fails, including efforts to contain any potential chemical spill before it reaches storm drains or waterways.
Evacuation orders remained in place Saturday morning, and the impact on affected school districts and campuses reopening Tuesday following the Memorial Day holiday remained uncertain.
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Updated at 4:50 p.m. on May 22, 2026
Officials warn unstable chemical tank likely to fail as evacuations urged in Garden Grove
Orange County fire officials reiterated Friday afternoon that crews are preparing for the likely failure of a compromised tank containing methyl methacrylate as evacuation orders and school disruptions continued across parts of northwestern Orange County.
During a news conference at 2 p.m., Orange County Fire Division Chief Craig Covey said efforts to stabilize the compromised tank were unsuccessful after damaged valves prevented crews from safely accessing the material inside.
Officials said the tank at the GKN Aerospace facility on Western Avenue in Garden Grove could either rupture and spill thousands of gallons of chemicals or trigger what responders described as a potential boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion, or BLEVE.
“That was what we were handed — a leaking tank or a tank that blows up,” Covey said. “That’s why we extended the evacuation today in an overabundance of caution. This is highly voluble, it’s highly toxic and it’s highly flammable.”
Authorities emphasized that there is currently no active gas leak or chemical plume in the area, but evacuation orders remain in place out of concern about what could happen if the tank fails.
Garden Grove police officials estimated roughly 40,000 people are affected by the evacuation zone, which includes portions of Garden Grove, Anaheim, Cypress, Stanton, Buena Park and Westminster. Multiple Orange County school districts in the area reported closures, campus evacuations, relocations and operational disruptions Friday as emergency crews continued containment efforts.
County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stefan Bean said OCDE has been in contact with affected school districts and will continue to provide support as needed.
“School communities across Orange County have had to make difficult and fast-moving decisions today in response to this incident,” Bean said. “We’re grateful for the steady leadership of district teams, first responders and public safety agencies working to protect students, families and staff throughout this challenging and dynamic situation.”
At Friday’s news conference, County Health Officer Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong said short-term exposure to methyl methacrylate vapor can cause irritation to the lungs and nasal passages, along with nausea and dizziness, while higher exposure levels could lead to severe respiratory distress and hospitalization. She also noted officials have limited information about incidents of this scale involving the chemical.
Officials urged residents to follow evacuation orders and continue monitoring updates from emergency agencies. For the latest official information, follow the Orange County Fire Authority on X.
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Updated at 3:15 p.m. on May 22, 2026
Evacuation zone expands as chemical leak response continues in Garden Grove
Orange County fire and law enforcement officials said Friday that evacuation orders around the industrial chemical leak in Garden Grove have been expanded after crews determined a compromised tank could no longer be safely stabilized.
In a video update posted to social media, Orange County Fire Authority officials warned that a compromised tank containing hazardous chemicals remained unstable and at risk of entering what officials described as a “thermal runaway” event.
“There are literally two options left remaining,” Orange County Fire Division Chief Craig Covey said during the briefing. “One, the tank fails and spills a total of about 6,000 to 7,000 gallons of very bad chemicals into the parking lot in that area. Or two, the tank goes into a thermal runaway and blows up, affecting the tanks that are around them, that have fuel, or the chemicals in them, as well.”
Officials emphasized that there is currently no active gas leak or chemical plume in the area, but said expanded evacuation orders were issued as a precaution based on the evolving risk.
Thousands of residents were evacuated as emergency crews continued containment efforts. Meanwhile, nearby districts adjusted operations throughout the day, initiating campus evacuations, parent pickup notifications and student relocations to alternate school sites.
- The Garden Grove Unified School District closed multiple campuses and facilities, including Barker, Bryant, Carver, Enders, Garden Park, Lawrence, Wakeham and Patton elementary schools; Bell and Alamitos intermediate schools; Pacifica and Rancho Alamitos high schools; Skylark Preschool; the district’s Maintenance and Operations Facility; and the Lampson Bus Yard.
- In the Magnolia School District, students from Esther L. Walter School were relocated to Dr. Jonas E. Salk School, while students from Robert M. Pyles STEM Academy were being moved to Mattie Lou Maxwell Elementary School.
- Savanna School District officials said students from Hansen Elementary School were initially split between Holder School and Twila Reid Elementary School. All students were later relocated to a site in the city of Buena Park.
- Westminster School District officials notified families to pick up students, with Stacy Middle School and Warner Middle School designated as backup sites for evacuated campuses.
- Cypress School District officials said parents at Frank Vessels Elementary School and Juliet Morris Elementary School were being given the option to pick up their students, though pickups were not mandatory.
- Los Alamitos Unified School District officials said no evacuations were in place. Elementary campuses were already closed for a non-student day, while schools serving grades 6 through 12 remained open.
The leak reportedly originated Thursday at the GKN Aerospace facility on Western Avenue in Garden Grove, where officials said a tank containing methyl methacrylate, or MMA, became compromised during industrial operations.
Authorities urged residents to follow evacuation orders and avoid the area while hazardous materials crews continue working with the manufacturing company and third-party contractors to stabilize the situation.
Garden Grove police officials said evacuation boundaries now extend south to Trask Avenue, north to Ball Road, west to Valley View Street and east to Dale Street. Officials also said Beach Boulevard remained closed between Garden Grove Boulevard and Orangewood Avenue.
Emergency shelter and evacuation assistance centers have been established in Garden Grove and Cypress for displaced residents.
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Updated at 10:10 a.m. on May 22, 2026
Outdoor activities canceled at schools near evacuation zone as chemical leak response continues
Garden Grove Unified School District officials said campuses outside the evacuation zone have been deemed safe, but outdoor activities at schools adjacent to the area were canceled Friday “out of an abundance of caution” as emergency crews continued monitoring the industrial chemical leak in Garden Grove.
In a social media post, district officials also announced support services for families affected by evacuation orders, including a reunification center at the Community Recreation Center, 13641 Deodara Drive in Garden Grove, across from Bolsa Grande High School. A temporary shelter has also been established at Stanton City Hall, 7800 Katella Ave. in Stanton.
Meal distribution for impacted families will take place from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Friday at Hare High School, 12012 Magnolia St. in Garden Grove.
The district reaffirmed that several campuses and facilities remain temporarily closed — see below for that list — as emergency responders continue containment efforts related to the chemical release near Chapman and Western avenues.
District officials said they will continue coordinating with emergency response agencies and provide updates as more information becomes available.
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Updated at 8:57 a.m. on May 22, 2026
Several Garden Grove Unified campuses closed following chemical leak response
Several Garden Grove Unified School District campuses closed Friday as emergency crews continued containment efforts related to an industrial chemical leak in Garden Grove.
In a message to families Friday morning, district officials said the closures were ordered “at the direction of law enforcement and emergency response officials” following the incident near Chapman and Western avenues.
The following campuses and facilities were closed until further notice:
- Barker Elementary School
- Bryant Elementary School
- Carver Elementary School
- Enders Elementary School
- Garden Park Elementary School
- Lawrence Elementary School
- Wakeham Elementary School
- Patton Elementary School
- Bell Intermediate School
- Alamitos Intermediate School
- Pacifica High School
- Rancho Alamitos High School
- Skylark Preschool
- Maintenance and Operations Facility
- Lampson Bus Yard
According to the Orange County Fire Authority, the incident involved a vapor release from a tank containing methyl methacrylate, an industrial chemical used in plastics manufacturing, at an aerospace facility on Western Avenue.
Emergency responders evacuated portions of the surrounding area Thursday evening while crews worked to stabilize the situation. Rancho Alamitos High School briefly served as an incident command and reunification center during the response effort.
District officials said they will continue coordinating with local authorities and provide updates as additional information becomes available.
Separately, OCDE ACCESS officials announced Friday morning that Magnolia, Southwest Anaheim and Anaheim West school sites would also be closed until further notice due to ongoing containment efforts in the area. Staff assigned to those campuses were directed to report to the Argosy education center in Orange.
For updates and additional information, families are encouraged to refer to communications from Garden Grove Unified School District and local emergency response agencies.