Threat of Toxic Chemical Leak or Explosion Disrupts Schools in O.C.
Schools closed and students were evacuated due to a hazardous materials incident at a Garden Grove aerospace business.
Editor's Note: This is a developing story and we will continue to provide updates on how schools are being impacted. This story was updated last on May 23 at 11:00 a.m. to include information from the Savanna and Anaheim Elementary School Districts.
An unresolved hazardous materials situation at an aerospace company in Garden Grove forced some schools to close in Orange County on Friday, May 22, and it’s not yet clear if students will face disruptions next week.
The incident at GKN Aerospace on Western Avenue started the evening of May 21. It involves a malfunction in a tank filled with around 7,000 gallons of a toxic and flammable material known as methyl methacrylate that is used in plastics manufacturing. The tank is overheating and at risk of either leaking or exploding, posing a serious health threat to the community, according to the Orange County Fire Authority and other local emergency responders and health officials. Around 40,000 people living within a few miles of the facility are under evacuation orders, affecting neighborhoods in Garden Grove, Westminster, Buena Park, Stanton, Cypress and Anaheim.
As of Friday evening, responders said they were able to adjust the temperature in the tank, buying more time to figure out how to safely resolve the issue, according to the Orange County Register.
“It is not okay with me just to sit back and watch this thing blow up or fail. That is not acceptable to me,” Incident Commander and OCFA Division Chief Craig Covey said in a video update Friday evening. “Our group is going to do everything they can to come up with a third, a fourth, a fifth option that is not that, that is not failure and we can get all of you back home as soon as possible.”
Another update on Saturday morning showed that efforts to cool the tanks were not as successful as initially thought. But Covey did say crews had worked overnight on the offensive and are coordinating with experts to prevent a disaster. “We’re optimistic and we’re trying to get technology in there and validate our thoughts,” Covey said, according to KTLA.
On Friday, a spokesperson for GKN Aerospace told the L.A. Times the company is "fully focused on working with emergency services and the relevant authorities to ensure the safety of our employees and the local community.”
School Disruptions
Friday was an unpredictable day for hundreds, possibly thousands, of public school families in Orange County. Around 7 a.m., the Garden Grove Unified School District announced that 13 of its schools and two district facilities were shutting down due to the hazmat situation. “The safety of our students, staff, and families remains our top priority,” read the social media post of the announcement. The district operates 67 schools serving around 36,000 TK-12 students.
GGUSD continued to share updates as the day progressed. “Our hearts go out to all of our families who were evacuated today,” a district statement sent around 5:30 p.m. read, saying additional information would be sent to impacted families. It went on to say: “At this time, we do not yet know what conditions may be over the weekend or into next week, and we will continue to keep families updated as more information becomes available.”
Early in the day, the Westminster School District announced that all of its schools were open but said it was monitoring the situation and recognized that some of its families were in the evacuation zone. A few hours later, the district initiated a “precautionary evacuation” of seven of its campuses “out of an abundance of caution.” Students were taken to designated sites where they were picked up by guardians and parents.
“We understand that these situations can be stressful, and we want you to know that the safety and wellness of our students, staff, and families are always at our highest priority,” read the statement signed by WSD Superintendent Gunn Marie Hansen, Ph.D.
In the Savanna School District, the hazmat situation coincided with the last day of the school year at its four campuses serving nearly 1,800 students in Anaheim, Buena Park, Cypress and Stanton. Students at two of the district's campuses had to be evacuated to the other two campuses during the school day.
In an Instagram post published on May 23, the district thanked staff, families, students and the Anaheim Police Department for their cooperation during the emergency. "While this was certainly not the ending to the 2025-26 school year that any of us had planned for, we are incredibly grateful that our students, staff, and families remained safe throughout the day," the statement read.
For seniors at Kennedy High School in the Anaheim Union High School District, a day of celebration turned into a day of uncertainty. Kennedy seniors were due to attend their graduation ceremony on Friday afternoon, but not long before the event, it was cancelled.
“We understand how deeply disappointing and emotional this news is for our graduating seniors and their loved ones,” read an Instagram post from AUHSD sharing the news. A few hours later the district announced the Kennedy High School graduation ceremony had been rescheduled to May 26 at the Anaheim Convention Center.
Kennedy High School and Savanna High School are now being used to help Anaheim community members impacted by the hazmat situation. Savanna High School is being used as a “care and reception center,” according to the City of Anaheim. Kennedy is an evacuation center. Ocean View High School in the Huntington Beach Union High School District is also being utilized as a Red Cross Shelter, according to the City of Garden Grove.
The Anaheim Elementary School District reported on May 23 that its schools were not affected by the emergency. "AESD schools remained safe and were not impacted by the incident. The safety and well being of our students, staff, and families remained our highest priority at all times," reads an Instagram post.
The district did advise families to pay attention to local authorities on the developing situation. "As we head into the Memorial Day weekend, we encourage families to continue following official updates and community resources shared by the City of Anaheim and Anaheim Police Department social media channels,"
Get the latest updates from the City of Garden Grove here.
Resources:
- Garden Grove 24-hour Emergency Hotline: 714-741-5444
- Orange County Public Information Hotline: 714-628-7085
- OCFA Medical Information Hotline: 714-538-2501