Aerospace Chemical Investigation
FBI, EPA Serve Warrant at GKN Aerospace After Garden Grove Chemical Crisis
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Key Points
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The warrant’s seizure scope was described as broad: it orders federal agents to take “substance within any tank, tote, drum, vat, vessel or container” suspected of containing (or having previously contained) methyl methacrylate and to seize any equipment “used to control or regulate the temperature.”
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Local reporting emphasized methyl methacrylate’s potential health impacts, including “irritation of the skin, eyes and lungs” and “potential neurological issues from prolonged exposure.”
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The May crisis also triggered state-level emergency action: officials reported it prompted a “state of emergency declaration from Gov. Gavin Newsom,” and Orange County prosecutors said they had previously set up an anonymous tip line and online reporting form for the incident.
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The LA Times reported additional incident context: water was sprayed on large storage tanks during the response, more than 50,000 residents were evacuated for days, and the compromised tank’s risk extended to “adjacent tanks also containing” methyl methacrylate; LA Times also noted the facility is operated by GKN Aerospace, a division of Melrose Industries, a U.K.-based company.
The FBI and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency executed a federal search warrant Wednesday at a Garden Grove aerospace plant where a failing chemical tank forced more than 50,000 residents to evacuate last month. Agents seized chemical samples, temperature-control equipment, and internal records from GKN Aerospace at 12122 Western Ave, according to Associated Press.
The May crisis centered on a 34,000-gallon tank of methyl methacrylate — a highly flammable chemical used to make acrylic plastic — that began overheating on May 21. The incident triggered a state of emergency from Gov. Gavin Newsom and shut down 25 local schools, CBS News reported.
Federal Warrant Targets Equipment and Chemical Samples
A federal judge signed the warrant on June 5. Its scope is broad. Agents are ordered to seize "substance within any tank, tote, drum, vat, vessel or container" that held or currently holds methyl methacrylate. They are also taking any equipment "used to control or regulate the temperature," according to MyNewsLA.
The warrant targets violations of Section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act, which requires companies to prevent accidental releases of extremely hazardous substances. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said, "Obviously, we want to know exactly what happened and determine whether any federal laws were violated," Good Morning America reported.
Tank Crack Prevented Explosion During May Emergency
The crisis began May 21 when facility staff noticed the tank was overheating and releasing fumes. Despite workers spraying water on the tank to cool it, the temperature kept rising by about one degree per hour, LA Magazine reported. Evacuations started the next day and eventually covered nine square miles across six cities.
On May 24, an overnight inspection found a crack in the tank. Officials said the crack released internal pressure, which sharply reduced the risk of a BLEVE — a boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion. Evacuation orders lifted gradually, and all residents were home by May 26, according to Yahoo News.
DA Calls It Criminal, GKN Says It Is Cooperating
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer launched a criminal probe immediately after the incident. He set up an anonymous tip line and online form for residents to report information. On Wednesday he said, "It's irresponsible, it's horrific, and I'm angry about it... I am encouraged that the federal government has followed our lead," per CBS News.
GKN Aerospace spokesperson Steve Carlin said, "On behalf of GKN and the Garden Grove plant I want to say that I'm sorry... we are cooperating with authorities." GKN is a division of Melrose Industries, a U.K.-based company. The facility makes components for the F-35 fighter jet, the Boeing 787, and the Airbus A350, according to Record-Net.
Lawsuits Filed, Tanks Still On-Site, Rezoning Pushed
Residents have filed multiple class action lawsuits against GKN, including cases known as Tran v. GKN Aerospace and Burciaga v. GKN Aerospace. The suits seek damages for displacement, business losses, and drops in property value. Plaintiffs describe the facility as a "ticking time bomb" next to a residential neighborhood, according to Yahoo News.
Plans to remove roughly 7,000 gallons of remaining methyl methacrylate from the site were postponed on June 5 due to "unavailable resources," the Associated Press reported. Local leaders in Garden Grove and Stanton are now pushing to rezone the area to force high-risk chemical storage away from homes. Community advocates say the tank crack was a failure of oversight, not a success of emergency response.
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