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Crews responding to the chemical emergency at a Southern California aerospace facility discovered what officials described as a possible crack in the unstable tank that may be relieving pressure inside the vessel.
In a video update posted to social media Sunday, Orange County Fire Authority Interim Chief T.J. McGovern said specialized teams entered the hazard zone late Saturday night on a reconnaissance mission and visually identified what appeared to be a crack in the tank at the center of the crisis.
“What they found was a potential crack in the tank, which could potentially be relieving some of the pressure in there,” McGovern said.
Officials are now working to confirm the discovery, which McGovern said could change the strategy for managing the incident.
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“With this new information, it could change our trajectory and our strategy to this event,” he said.
The overnight operation marked one of the first successful close-range inspections of the tank since the emergency escalated Thursday night at GKN Aerospace in Garden Grove, where crews have been racing to prevent a catastrophic failure involving methyl methacrylate, or MMA – a volatile and flammable plastic epoxy chemical.
The leak was discovered at the aerospace manufacturing facility, which produces engine structures and components for commercial and military aircraft.
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Authorities previously warned the deteriorating tank could either rupture and spill thousands of gallons of hazardous chemicals or explode during a “thermal runaway” event, potentially triggering neighboring tanks and creating a wider disaster.
The discovery now presents what officials suggested could be a more favorable scenario than initially feared, though crews cautioned the threat has not yet passed.
“We’re not there yet, but this was a step in the right direction,” McGovern said.
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More than 40,000 residents remain under evacuation orders as officials continue monitoring temperatures, air quality and structural conditions around the facility.
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Saturday as crews shifted from defensive containment operations to high-risk offensive actions aimed at preventing an explosion.
McGovern praised firefighters and hazardous materials specialists involved in the overnight mission, calling the operation successful and emphasizing that public safety remains the top priority before residents can return home.
“We want to get you back, but we cannot do that until it’s deemed safe,” he said.
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Officials said additional updates are expected later Sunday as engineers and hazardous materials experts analyze the new findings.
Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch and Michael Sinkewicz contributed to this report.
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