Newsom declares state of emergency for chemical leak as officials seek solutions

California Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency in Orange County on Saturday as officials desperately search for a safe resolution to a leaking toxic chemical tank at an aerospace facility. "The safety of Orange County residents is the top priority," Newsom said. "We are mobilizing every state resource available to support local responders and make sure the community has what they need to stay safe." According to Orange County Fire Authority Chief Craig Covey , temperatures inside the tank continue to rise, creating a "significantly dangerous" situation spurring more than 44,000 evacuations, officials said. It was previously believed that the temperatures were cooling inside the Garden Grove industrial tank, estimated to contain 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate. However, after crews embarked on a risky operation inside the danger zone, they learned temperatures were increasing at a rate of about one degree per hour. It was at 90 degrees on Friday night after starting the day at 77. "We did put people in harm's way last night ... with an attempt to go in and neutralize the additional tank," Covey said in a video posted to X on Saturday, explaining that crews entered the zone in an attempt to ensure an additional tank near the leaking tank was stable. GARDEN GROVE, UNITED STATES - MAY 22: A view of damage as thousands evacuated due to an ongoing hazardous chemical spill originating from GKN Aerospace in Garden Grove, California, United States on May 22, 2026. …