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The Orange County Fire Authority Chief gave an update. "We're going to be conducting a mission tonight. It'll be an all-night mission in order to confirm that the pressure in the tank has been released and that the BLEVE threat is eliminated. The BLEVE threat is the worst-case catastrophic event that we've been talking about. We are not there yet. We need to run this operation tonight. Please help us stay out of the evacuation zone. Let us run our operation, and tomorrow we will be giving you an update on what occurred this evening."
Basically, the BLEVE threat meaning the ability for it to explode. Well, tonight officials are trying to calm the nerves of Garden Grove residents living near that chemical leak that could explode at any time. Sky Fox overhead as we continue to follow this breaking news. And Fox 11's Matthew Seedorff is live in Cypress tonight and brings us up-to-date on what he has learned. Matthew?
Well, Susan, tonight fire crews, as you heard, are going to check to see that crack and see if possibly the pressure is decreasing and that possibility of an explosion, but still a very dangerous situation. The intense wait continues across Orange County. Firefighters surrounding a massive tank in Garden Grove warning it could soon explode.
"The tank gauge, um, reading maxes out at 100 degrees Fahrenheit. When it goes past it, we have no more information."
"So, so, it could blow up at any, any time?"
"Yes."
The tank holds about 7,000 gallons of a highly flammable chemical. Firefighters Sunday watching a crack, hoping it releases pressure before something worse happens.
"What's it like being near the tank right now?"
"Um, I would say it's, it's a little bit dicey. They want me to have protective gear on."
Alex Datuig shot this video just feet from the facility. Water is still running into the storm drain. Afterwards, she says she felt off.
"I noticed that there was a chemical taste in my mouth the next day and I had a headache and stuff like that. It's kind of like I bit into a bar of soap."
A state of emergency issued across Orange County with 50,000 people forced to evacuate. Evacuation centers and hotels filled for now three nights.
"Yeah, I got a senior dad at home that I'm taking care of. And yeah, a couple, a dog and a cat. They're all doing good."
Within a mile of that tank, officials have barriers in place. All the roads in are closed, as are the businesses.
"You got hotel expenses, you're just sitting waiting around and there's just no updates. It's like, oh, we think it's going to blow or it's going to leak."
Evacuees have already filed a lawsuit against GKN Aerospace, accusing the company of failing to properly maintain their tank. Firefighters continuing to pour water on the overheating chemicals, not knowing when or how the situation will end.
"How long could this go on?"
"I cannot give you that estimate, uh, at this time without gathering the, the facts."
"Could be days, could be weeks, don't know?"
"We do not know, unfortunately."
Here's a live look from SkyFox. You can see all the firefighters still out there surrounding that tank. Officials say air quality readings outside that immediate area remain within safe levels, but this is still an evacuation zone. They're urging people to avoid the area as much as possible and again, at this point, it doesn't seem to, there's no answers to how long this could last. We're live tonight, Matthew Seedorff, Fox 11 News.
So, Matthew, this crack in the tank, it seems sort of counterintuitive that the firefighters would get closer to the tank, but they're just sort of banking on the idea that that could be some kind of relief or release.
Yeah, I mean, firefighters are saying that this is a very dangerous situation. They're putting their own life on the line to go out and check this out, but as you're saying, they're, I think, banking on that the possibility that the pressure is decreasing, but they won't know that for sure unless they go out and check it themselves.
Mhm. All right, Matthew. Matthew Seedorff, thank you for your reporting.
The chemical crisis has forced thousands from their homes, but some residents are turning chaos into compassion. And a new lawsuit is targeting the aerospace company at the center of it all. Action News Rachel Aragon reports.
"It was kind of like a very, very kind of like a very adrenaline for me, just kind of like, okay, the community needs resources."
A chemical mystery is taking Garden Grove, triggering evacuations and countless acts of kindness from those living through the chemical crisis. Despite the uncertainty, some Garden Grove residents taking time to donate at shelters outside the evacuation zone.
"I feel like a very strong and powerful message just because, um, uh, if you know, the people who are being affected can think about others, then, you know, people like, people like me can chip in in some way, some form to help the community, as when you're saying."
That we know of, incidences like this are extremely rare. The rising hazmat threat also triggering a new class-action lawsuit against the aerospace company responsible for this facility, the site of the ongoing chemical emergency forcing tens of thousands of people out of their homes.
"The first one is the actual cost the people incur. So the gas, the hotel, the eating out bills, those will quickly add up."
The complaint accuses the company of negligence and seeks accountability for what attorneys say could be mass disruption and potentially serious safety issues.
"You don't get in a situation where 50,000 people are evacuated without a significant lack of oversight that is negligent at best and at worst outright reckless."
A GKN spokesperson said they're sincerely apologizing for the ongoing disruption at the local community. They say they are working closely with all relevant federal, state, and local agencies and remain deeply grateful for the dedication and expertise of all emergency services and agencies involved. In Huntington Beach, Rachel LeRgon, Fox 11 News.
Now in South Gate, fire crews still mopping up tonight after this massive industrial fire at a tire recycling plant. SkyFOX overhead with thick black smoke was pouring out of the structure this afternoon. This is on Industrial Avenue near Gardendale Street. A shelter-in-place order was issued for the surrounding community due to unsafe air. Residents were urged to stay inside with their pets and with the doors and windows closed. No word what caused this fire.
New details on the man who opened fire outside the White House late Saturday and was later gunned down by Secret Service. Fox's Madeline Rivera in Washington D.C. has the story.
A scary moment at the White House on Saturday. Reporters ducked for cover after hearing what sounded like gunshots. Then they ran to the briefing room as the building was placed on lockdown. The president was at the White House too, but he was unharmed and continued working through the evening in the Oval Office. The Secret Service says per a preliminary investigation, a man pulled out a gun as he walked towards a checkpoint and started shooting at officers around 6:00 p.m. The agent shot back and hit the suspect who later died at a nearby hospital. A bystander was also shot during the incident, but it's unclear whether they were initially hit by the suspect or during the crossfire.
Federal sources tell Fox News Digital the suspect was identified as 21-year-old Nasir Best from Maryland. Best allegedly had encountered Secret Service at least twice last year and had a history of mental health issues. Apparently, he's known for walking around the White House asking how to gain access at different gates. Court records state Best was charged in July with trying to enter a restricted area near the complex. Authorities say Best told them he was Jesus Christ and that he wanted to get arrested. Best was also detained by Secret Service the previous month for allegedly flagging down agents and making threats.
Here's Speaker Mike Johnson talking about the shooting.
"We live in a heightened threat environment. It's a very serious issue. I mentioned I talked to the president late last night. This wasn't even a topic of our conversation, you know. He accepts it as part of the responsibility, the duty of the job, the risk of the job."
This, of course, happening just about one month after the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting. The president appearing to make the case again for the White House ballroom, which remains caught up in litigation. In Washington, Malor Rivera, Fox News.
Now to the war with Iran. President Trump says a potential deal with Iran has been largely negotiated, but insists no agreement is final yet. The president says any deal must eventually reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil route carrying nearly 20% of the world's supply. Trump also says negotiations should not be rushed. Administration officials claim Iran is making major concessions tied to nuclear enrichment and sanctions relief.
A Memorial Day weekend ceremony in Mission Hills today. Local scouts and other volunteers placed flags at veterans' gravesites. The honors taking place at San Fernando Mission Cemetery. A special tribute went to Private First Class Benito Medellin, a World War hero from the Army's 80th Infantry Division, who served in some of the war's toughest battles in Europe. His grandson, a Marine veteran, spoke to us.
"It's an honor to sit there as generations of our family, you know, being here. Also, I'd like to say, you know, he's one individual. Because, like I said earlier, he's part of the greatest generation where every individual sat there served this great country of ours."
State Senator Carolyn Menard presented a flag and a proclamation to the family. The ceremony highlighted the courage and sacrifices of all who served. We'll be right back.
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