\n<\/p>\n
GARDEN GROVE, Calif. — <\/span>For many Southern California residents who were evacuated after a chemical tank<\/a> overheated, the relief of finally being allowed to return home has been overshadowed by lingering fears of living near the aerospace plant that has faced problems. <\/p>\n A valve on the tank’s cooling system failed and forced 50,000 people to evacuate in and around the Orange County city of Garden Grove last week as officials warned of the potential for a catastrophic explosion. The tank cracked by chance, relieving pressure and eventually allowing residents to return home after the temperature remained stable without intervention.<\/p>\n Bobbi-Lee Smart returned home Monday but still has her suitcase, cat carriers and important documents ready so she can leave at a moment’s notice. <\/p>\n \u201cI won\u2019t even open the doors and windows in my house because I don\u2019t know for sure that the air is safe,\u201d said Smart, who lives in Anaheim, next to Garden Grove. \u201cHow do we know it is stable?\u201d<\/p>\n Tuesday, when the final evacuation orders were lifted in California, a chemical tank ruptured<\/a> at a Washington state mill in another hazardous chemical emergency, killing people and leaving others still missing a day later. <\/p>\n The tank at GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems, which makes cockpit windows, canopies and windshields, contains 6,000 to 7,000 gallons (22,700 to 26,500 liters) of methyl methacrylate, which is highly flammable. Exposure to the chemical can cause serious respiratory problems, neurological issues and irritation to the skin, eyes and throat, according to the Environmental Protection Agency<\/a>. <\/p>\n On Wednesday, the temperature on the tank still remained at a stable 91 degrees (32.8 C) without being sprayed by sprinklers, said Orange County Fire Capt. Brian Yau.<\/p>\n \u201cThe team will continually monitor the temperature,\u201d Yau said. <\/p>\n Health officials have assured residents that no contamination or fumes were released, and that they will keep monitoring the air for several months and checking the sewer and storm drains. <\/p>\n Smart said the company should have been scrutinized earlier because it had a record of violations. She feels the company needs to leave the densely populated, working class neighborhood that\u2019s home to family-owned shops, but not before compensating residents and business owners.<\/p>\n \u201cThe reality is the company has broken the public trust,\u201d Smart said. <\/p>\n Based in the United Kingdom, GKN Aerospace said it was cooperating with authorities and working with nonprofit organizations to help the community recover. <\/p>\n A lawsuit filed on behalf of a couple who live near GKN says the company failed to protect neighbors from \u201cforeseeable chemical releases, toxic vapor migration, evacuation conditions, and catastrophic industrial failures.\u201d<\/p>\n The lawsuit says residents reported strong odors, respiratory irritation, headaches and dizziness and are worried.<\/p>\n At a city council meeting Tuesday night, residents questioned why the chemical plant was allowed to operate so close to homes. <\/p>\n The Orange County District Attorney\u2019s office is investigating. Mayor Stephanie Klopfenstein pledged the company would be held accountable. <\/p>\n Last year, GKN agreed to pay state regulators more than $900,000 to settle violations involving recordkeeping, permitting issues and nitrogen oxide emissions, according to a report on the South Coast Air Quality Management District website.<\/p>\n The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has inspected the company\u2019s Garden Grove facility four times since 2018, which resulted in 10 violations, according to public records obtained by the Los Angeles Times. More information about those violations was not immediately available.<\/p>\n In 2019, the California Department of Industrial Relations filed a request in Orange County Superior Court that a judge order the company to pay $2,898 in unpaid civil penalties.<\/p>\n The citation, outlined in court records obtained by the Times, alleged the company in April 2018 \u201cfailed to ensure that all machinery and equipment in service were inspected or maintained as recommended by the manufacturer.\u201d <\/p>\n It doesn\u2019t appear that any of the violations were related to the overheated tank. <\/p>\n Purdue University engineering professor Andrew Whelton said the tank would likely have to be replaced. <\/p>\n