FBI Investigates California Aerospace Facility After Chemical Incident Forces Evacuation
The FBI is conducting an investigation at a southern California aerospace facility following an incident where an overheated chemical tank led to the evacuation of 50,000 residents. The facility, operated by GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems in Garden Grove, experienced an overheating of a tank containing 6,000 to 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate, a highly flammable chemical used in manufacturing plastics. The incident, which occurred in late May, raised fears of an explosion. A federal warrant has been issued to seize records related to the storage, use, and disposal of the chemical, as well as any equipment used to control its temperature. The Orange County District Attorney's office is also conducting a separate criminal investigation, instructing the company not to destroy any evidence. GKN Aerospace has expressed cooperation with the authorities and apologized to the community for the disruption caused.