California authorities evacuated more than 40,000 people in the city of Garden Grove due to the threat of an explosion or leak in a tank belonging to GKN Aerospace Transparency containing a toxic chemical, CNN reported.
Local authorities have been working since May 21 to prevent an explosion of the tank, which is full of methyl methacrylate, a toxic and flammable substance that causes lung problems. The damage to the tank was caused by prolonged overheating, which the response team said could have resulted in a spill of more than 2,600 liters of the chemical or an explosion.
Garden Grove Police Chief Amir El-Fara told the channel that approximately 6,000 people refused to leave their homes.