40,000 people were ordered to evacuate in California due to a chemical leak

40,000 people were ordered to be evacuated from their homes in California due to a leak from a chemical tank that could spread toxic fumes over a crowded area and raise the risk of an explosion.
The tank contained 26,000 liters of methyl methacrylate, a flammable liquid used in the plastics industry, and firefighters warned that the situation could deteriorate.
Craig Coffey, the operations commander at the accident site, said: “We have two hypotheses: either the tank will be damaged and between 6 to 7 thousand gallons of very toxic chemicals will leak into a parking lot in the area, or the tank will explode, which will affect surrounding tanks that also contain fuel or chemicals.”
He added, “We are organizing evacuations in preparation for the two hypotheses: either it will be damaged or it will explode.”
The spill is located in the Garden Grove area of ​​Orange County, southeast of Los Angeles.
The region’s police chief, Amir Al-Farra, said that the evacuation order affects about 40,000 people, but thousands are refusing to leave.
Aerial footage broadcast by local television stations showed the tank being sprayed with water hoses, and Coffey reported later Friday that efforts to cool the tank were achieving success.