California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency in Orange County due to a critical situation involving a potential spill of a hazardous toxic chemical.
“I am declaring a state of emergency in Orange County as California continues to respond to a hazardous chemical incident in Garden Grove,“ the governor wrote in a statement.
He noted that state agencies are supporting affected communities to ensure public safety and assist local authorities in their response efforts.
It was previously reported that California authorities have evacuated more than 40,000 people due to the threat of an explosion or leak at a storage tank containing a toxic chemical belonging to GKN Aerospace Transparency.
It is noted that local authorities have been working since May 21 to prevent the explosion of the tank, which was filled with methyl methacrylate, a toxic and flammable substance that causes lung problems. The cause of the tank failure was prolonged overheating, which, according to the response team, could have led to a spill of more than 2,600 liters of the chemical or an explosion.