Evacuation orders lifted in California chemical tank emergency after worst-case explosion risk eliminated | CNN

Officials have lifted all evacuation orders related to an overheating chemical tank in southern California, a day after a crack in the structure eliminated the risk of a catastrophic blast. Pressure inside the tank at GKN Aerospace in Orange County had been alleviated, authorities said Monday, preventing a disaster known as a BLEVE, or boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion. About 16,000 had remained under evacuation orders until Tuesday evening. “There’s still a risk of a fire, and they’re still at risk of a potential spill,” Orange County Fire Authority Interim Chief TJ McGovern said Tuesday during a community meeting hosted by Rep. Derek Tran, a Democrat whose district includes the evacuation zone. As of Tuesday afternoon, the tank’s temperature was about 90 degrees Fahrenheit, Tran told CNN’s Jake Tapper Tuesday. Both water sources cooling the tank were turned off Tuesday and officials are assessing how the tank responds, McGovern said. “Once we know that temperature is stabilized, we will be taking the fire risk off the table,” McGovern said earlier Tuesday evening. “When we take the fire risk off the table, that affects our evacuation zones.” Until evacu

May 24, 2026 → May 25, 2026