Disneyland remains open as evacuation zone shrinks around chemical tank scare
Disneyland Resort remains open as emergency crews continue responding to a chemical incident at a nearby aerospace facility in Orange County, California, though officials said the immediate threat of a major explosion has passed.
The incident began May 21 at a GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove after a storage tank containing methyl methacrylate, a flammable industrial chemical, overheated, according to the Orange County Register.
Authorities initially ordered evacuations affecting tens of thousands of residents across parts of Garden Grove, Anaheim and surrounding communities amid concerns the tank could leak hazardous chemicals or explode.
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“Disneyland Resort is approximately five miles from the incident and at this time, is not inside the evacuation zone,” Disneyland said in a statement shared with Fox News Digital.
“The resort remains open to guests. We are actively monitoring the situation and taking guidance from local authorities.”
Orange County fire officials said Monday that crews had stabilized the tank and eliminated the threat of a BLEVE, or boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion, after pressure inside the container was safely released, according to the Register.
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The resort also advised guests to check local guidance before traveling.
It warned that nearby road closures, detours or traffic disruptions could affect how visitors get to and from the parks.
The situation sparked discussion among Disneyland fans online, with some saying they changed their plans because of the chemical incident, while others reported lighter-than-usual crowds over the holiday weekend.
“We canceled our week-long Disneyland trip because of the Garden Grove chemical spill,” one Reddit user wrote.
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Another commenter said the park appeared quieter than expected, writing, “Between the chemicals and the end of the California resident pass, things are gonna be slow.”
Others said the parks were still operating normally despite concerns nearby.
“I’m here. It’s definitely not slow!” one user wrote.
Disneyland said it will continue to provide updates if the incident begins affecting resort operations.
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Fox News Digital previously reported that officials initially feared the overheated chemical tank could either spill thousands of gallons of hazardous material or explode.
Emergency crews warned at the time that the 34,000-gallon tank containing methyl methacrylate was “unable to be secured and mitigated,” prompting expanded evacuation orders across parts of Orange County.
Officials later said the threat level decreased after crews successfully stabilized the tank and relieved pressure inside the container.
Alexandra Koch of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.
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