FBI Investigation at Southern California Aerospace Facility
The FBI is conducting a search at a southern California aerospace facility following an incident last month where an overheated chemical tank led to the evacuation of 50,000 nearby residents. Federal authorities executed a search warrant at the site on Wednesday.
The warrant, authorized by a federal judge last week, permits the seizure of records related to the "storage, use or disposal" of methyl methacrylate, the chemical contained in the tank that posed an explosion risk.
The Orange County District Attorney’s office is independently investigating the aerospace plant and has instructed the company not to alter or destroy any evidence, according to spokesperson Kimberly Edds, who spoke with the Associated Press.
Facility and Chemical Details
The aerospace facility, GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems, is located in Garden Grove, Orange County. The UK-based company specializes in manufacturing cockpit windows, canopies, and windshields.
The tank that overheated in late May held between 6,000 and 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate, a highly flammable liquid used in producing plastics and coatings such as Plexiglas and dental prosthetics.
The Environmental Protection Agency notes that exposure to methyl methacrylate can cause serious respiratory problems, neurological effects, and irritation to the skin, eyes, and throat.
The federal warrant also requests "samples of the substance within any tank, tote, drum, vat, vessel, or container suspected of containing or having previously contained methyl methacrylate and/or any hazardous substance." Additionally, it mandates the seizure of records concerning "any cooling equipment or other equipment used to control or regulate the temperature of methyl methacrylate."
Company Response and Community Meeting
A GKN spokesperson told the Associated Press on Wednesday morning, "We are cooperating with authorities at our Garden Grove facility and will continue to do so."
At a community meeting on Tuesday, GKN senior vice-president Steve Carlin expressed gratitude to firefighters and local officials who responded to the May incident and issued an apology to the Garden Grove community.
"On behalf of GKN and the Garden Grove plant, I want to say that I’m sorry that this event and this incident occurred. I understand and I realized sitting here tonight what a disruptive event it was and how unsettling it is to the greater community. Particularly unsettling to us at GKN because of the long history that we have with Garden Grove and how connected we are to this community," he said.
During the meeting, city leaders and residents urged GKN to consider relocating the methyl methacrylate tanks. Carlin responded that it is premature to make such decisions while the investigation is ongoing.
Incident Timeline and Aftermath
Reports of the overheating tank surfaced on May 21, prompting the evacuation of Garden Grove residents the following day. Most evacuees returned home over the Memorial Day weekend after a crack formed in the tank, relieving pressure and preventing an explosion.
Since the incident, about a dozen evacuees and businesses have filed lawsuits against GKN. Some local residents reported experiencing strong odors, respiratory irritation, headaches, and dizziness.
Orange County health officials stated that no contamination or fumes were released. They plan to monitor air quality for several months and inspect sewer and storm drains.
Related Chemical Emergencies
This incident marked the first of two major hazardous chemical emergencies on the West Coast within a week. Five days after the GKN event began, a large tank containing a corrosive chemical ruptured and imploded at a paper mill in Longview, Washington, resulting in 11 fatalities.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
