California seeks novel solution as chemical tank heats up, risking catastrophe

An aerial view of water being sprayed onto an overheated 34,000-gallon tank at GKN Aerospace on May 23, 2026 in Garden Grove, California. A malfunctioning tank at an aerospace plant has the potential of a chemical leak or explosion. An incident at GKN Aerospace, a manufacturer of components for commercial and military aircraft, triggered the facility's automatic sprinkler system. Investigators are expected to examine the cause of the hazardous leak once the site has been fully stabilized. Apu Gomes | News | Firefighters trying to keep a tank of hazardous chemicals in California from exploding or leaking brought in outside experts to help prevent a catastrophe, the incident commander said on Saturday, as some nearby shelters ran out of space for evacuees. Evacuation orders remained in place for an area covering tens of thousands of people in the Garden Grove suburb of Los Angeles. California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for Orange County, and his office pleaded for residents to follow evacuation orders. "We have brought in subject matter experts from all across the state to think completely outside the box, and we had some really good productive conversations today," Craig Covey, division chief of the Orange County Fire Authority, said in a video posted on social media. He did not elaborate on possible solutions. …