L063-EEUU BOMBEROS INTENTAN EVITAR EXPLOSION PLANTA QUIMICA

Firefighters and emergency personnel in Southern California worked on Monday (May 25) to prevent a tank holding a highly toxic and flammable chemical from exploding, one day after experts said they found a "potential crack" in the container that might be reducing the pressure.

Since Friday, officials have warned that the tank, which contains methyl methacrylate, a chemical used in plastics and manufacturing, could rupture and spill up to 7,000 gallons (26,500 liters) of toxic material or explode and endanger other tanks on the GKN Aerospace site.

The incident began on Thursday at the company's facility in Garden Grove, California, which makes aircraft windshields and specialty aerospace plastics among other things, as the chemical began to overheat. Efforts to neutralize the reaction failed due to damage to valves on the tank, fire officials have said.

Evacuation orders were issued on Friday for an area of Garden Grove, a suburb roughly 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Los Angeles. Tens of thousands of people are covered by the evacuation orders.

Authorities are still trying to determine whether the possible crack has relieved pressure in the tank, a spokesperson for the Orange County Fire Authority told Reuters. Lowering the pressure could help avert an explosion, he said.

Although officials for now are focused on measuring pressure, the spokesperson said, the crack eventually could allow authorities to drain the chemicals gradually.