More than 30 lawsuits have been filed against GKN Aerospace in California after one of the company’s tanks containing a highly flammable chemical overheated and threatened a catastrophic explosion last month. The incident forced the evacuation of about 50,000 residents in Orange County.

Local Impact

Debbie Cohran, who lives about 500 feet from the aerospace facility in Garden Grove, wasn’t told to evacuate until several hours after the leak started. Her suit said she experienced nausea and headaches for several days afterward. Melanie Rose Burciaga of nearby Westminster had just given birth to her first child and had to leave the hospital when the evacuation orders came in.

More than 100 individuals, including some families with pets, as well as local businesses, are suing GKN Aerospace, saying the U.K.-based company was negligent in maintaining a safe facility, especially since it’s located in a large population center. The suits seek compensatory and punitive damages.

Investigation and Response

FBI agents served a search warrant at the facility to collect documents and records related to the storage, use, or disposal of methyl methacrylate, the chemical inside the affected tank. The Environmental Protection Agency joined the FBI to search for and seize evidence of potential federal environmental crimes.

GKN Aerospace makes cockpit windows, canopies, and windshields. The tank that overheated contained 6,000 to 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate, which is highly flammable. Health officials said no contamination or fumes were released, and they plan to monitor the air for several months.

Original reporting: 40/29 / KHBS (NW Arkansas) — read the source article.